U-LEAD

U-LEAD is UCAN's Leadership, Education, Advocacy & Development umbrella program, which is comprised of the following:

• Hands Without Guns
• Phenomenal Woman
• Project Visible Man
• Teen Gun Survey
• Uhlich Voices
• Young Leaders Development Institute
• Youth Against Violence - Lake County

UCAN is a leader in youth development and violence prevention, creating innovative solutions for at-risk populations.  As such, UCAN is regularly asked to share its expertise and knowledge with others. 

• In 2008, two UCAN staff leaders traveled to the UK on a best practice exchange entitled "Positive Role Models Create Positive Behavior".  This exchange was devised to create dialogue with and share best practices with UK Ministers and government officials, encouraging consideration of the powerful impact of youth mentoring and the presence of male role models in relation to violence reduction and prevention. 
• In 2007, UCAN's Teen Gun Survey results were quoted at the Senate Judiciary Committee's hearing on "Examining the Federal Role to Work with Communities to Prevent and Respond to Gang Violence: The Gang Abatement and Prevention Act of 2007."  Witnesses, including UCAN's Claude Robinson, testified about proposed legislation on assistance to communities for crime prevention, response to gang violence, and identify areas of growing concern.  Claude said, "Our young people speak directly to us when they ask us to reduce the level of violence in their neighborhoods. They want adults to take charge, as we hear from one young leader in his freshman year of college, Charles, who says, "Halloween isn't scary. What's scary is that 49% of my peers are telling you to stop cutting violence prevention programs and you're not listening!" Charles goes on to say that "Violence prevention should be part of the defense budget; homeland security begins at home.""  To see the video, please click here.

For more information on U-LEAD, please contact Lee Roe, Director of U-LEAD, at 773-429-9379 or roel@ucanchicago.org.