About P.O.W.E.R.
A community engagement strategy of the Wilmington Community Advisory Council stands for People and Organizations in Wilmington Engaging in Reform. This strategy is designed to harness the individual and collective power of people and organizations in Wilmington who are committed to preventing youth violence and promoting positive youth development.
POWER seeks to mobilize entities that have the power to better support Wilmington youth, their families and communities, particularly “priority” communities within zip codes 19801, 19802 and 19805, whom are most impacted by gun and youth violence.
Members of POWER are committed to reforming:
- Members of POWER are committed to reforming:
- Relationships between individuals, communities, organizations and government
- A culture of violence that normalizes gun and youth violence
- Systems and structures that perpetuate disadvantage in communities impacted by violence.
To partners, P.O.W.E.R. provides:
- A platform to coordinate initiatives and resources for collective action
- Leadership development through participation in the Community Engagement Team
- Opportunities to foster connection through community events and networking mixers
- Individual and organizational capacity building / opportunities for shared learning
- Promotion through POWER media and marketing
P.O.W.E.R. partners are invited to:
- Participate in the Community Engagement Team to help coordinate POWER initiatives
- Work collaboratively on grant applications and request for proposals
- Use the POWER logo on relevant event flyers and marketing materials
- Submit events to be promoted through POWER media and marketing outlets
- Have the POWER Community Engagement Team share information/resources at events
- Host and/or facilitate trainings, events and shared learning opportunities for partners
Creating change and relationships in Wilmington
Leading with the POWER of Change
P.O.W.E.R. serves as a convener, broker, and advocate for addressing the root causes of gun violence, e.g. toxic stress and trauma, behavioral health,
unemployment, and neighborhood safety. It does this by bringing together community organizations
and coalitions and connecting them to needed expertise and resources. In addition, it advocates for
policy changes that remove barriers. The long-term intent is to harness the power of partnerships to
improve practices and policies that can have a sustainable impact on reducing gun violence, promoting
opportunities for positive development among our youth, and helping our communities become more
resilient.
