Contact: Isabel Tayag Parker, isabel@nicjr.org
Oakland, CA:
Today, members of the National Offices of Violence Prevention Network (NOVPN) attended an event hosted by the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention that focused on community violence intervention and collaborative work to build an ecosystem of offices of violence prevention (OVPs) that can keep our communities safe. Representatives from 48 OVPs from throughout the country gathered for this event, which was the first of its kind in our nation’s history.
During today’s event, the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR, convener of the NOVPN) announced its plans to launch a Violence Reduction Management Institute. Through NICJR’s work in numerous jurisdictions, we have experienced that one of the greatest obstacles to implementing successful violence reduction strategies is ineffective management.
Additionally, NICJR is frequently asked to help identify quality candidates that local governments can hire as OVP directors, but the recruitment pool is limited due to the unique skillsets needed for these positions. OVP directors are charged with bringing a public health lens to the work of violence reduction, and they must be skilled in public administration, managing cross-functional project teams, nurturing community relationships, and using data to inform strategies and foster accountability, among other abilities.
“We are excited to launch the Violence Reduction Management Institute, an innovative initiative to train and place violence prevention leaders in vital positions,” said David Muhammad, Executive Director of NICJR. “We have found that in cities across the country where NICJR is helping to implement comprehensive gun violence reduction strategies, lacking strong management skills is one of the greatest barriers to success.”
The Management Institute marks an exciting step toward addressing these challenges. The Institute will intentionally prioritize cultivating OVP directors by providing intensive management training, site visits to OVPs across the country, a fellowship and learning community (including mentoring), and job placement support upon graduation. Participants will gain knowledge and skills in areas such as effective community violence intervention strategies, managing projects and people, communications, fiscal management, and more. Through the Management Institute, NICJR is excited to cultivate violence reduction leaders who will hit the ground running in communities throughout the US.
The Violence Reduction Management Institute is being launched with generous support from the Jacob & Valeria Langeloth Foundation.
NOVPN
The National Offices of Violence Prevention Network (NOVPN) is a first-of-its-kind learning community with the goal of significantly increasing the expertise and effectiveness of offices of violence prevention and other similar agencies. The NOVPN is a strategic initiative of the National Institute for Criminal Justice Reform (NICJR). The NOVPN hosts virtual and in-person convenings; provides trainings on violence reduction practices; coordinates cross-OVP learning exchanges; offers leadership development; and builds OVP capacity in data collection, fund development, and media relations. The NOVPN also supports the creation of new OVPs in jurisdictions interested in developing such agencies, and the Network partners with the White House’s National Office of Gun Violence Prevention to facilitate access to OVPs. Originally established in 2021 with a membership of 21 established OVPs, the Network has grown to nearly 60 members, including multiple state-level offices of violence prevention and local OVPs launched with NOVPN support. To learn more, visit https://ovpnetwork.org/. To learn more about NICJR, visit https://nicjr.org/.