Title
Youth Violence Prevention Communication Strategy and Social Norms Campaign Program Services
Action
Action:
A. Approve a contract for program services for the Youth Violence Prevention Communication Strategy and Social Norms Campaign with Creative Marketing Resources, Inc. (MBE) for a term of two years, and,
B. Authorize the City Manager to renew the contract for up to one, one-year term with possible price adjustments and to modify or amend the contract consistent with the purpose for which the contract was approved.
Body
Staff Resource(s):
Rebecca Hefner, Housing and Neighborhood Services
Raquishela Stewart, Housing and Neighborhood Services
Explanation
§ A Youth Violence Prevention Communication Strategy and Social Norms Campaign (Program) is an evidence-based best practice that seeks to change the perceptions and behaviors that lead to an acceptance of youth violence, promote positive social norms, empower, train, and employ youth as credible messengers/ambassadors, and connect youth with community resources.
§ On August 22, 2025, the city issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) seeking a qualified organization to design, develop and implement the Program; 18 responses were received.
§ Creative Marketing Resources, Inc. best meets the city’s needs in terms of qualifications, experience, cost, and responsiveness to RFP requirements, and was selected to oversee the comprehensive design, management and execution of the Program.
§ Core program services include:
- Program development: Recruiting, hiring, and training credible young people to participate in the development of the Program including design of campaign materials and implementation, convening a youth advisory group including leveraging existing youth advisory groups, identifying community resources for youth and their families, and establishing a brand and website for the Program campaign.
- Communication strategy: Developing an overarching youth violence prevention communication strategy including social norms research, call to action, types of media to be used for development and distribution, and a plan for monitoring and evaluation.
- Developing messaging, materials, and media: Working with youth to develop messaging and materials, identifying social norms, and testing and refining these with relevant audiences to incorporate positive messages and imagery, risk education, breaking the stigma on mental health, highlighting the strength and resiliency of impacted communities, and creating ways to connect youth and their families with community resources. This experience will provide opportunities for creative expression and training for youth, paired with professional design and production services as needed.
- Strategy execution and campaign implementation: Executing and implementing the Program, including an innovative multi-media approach to ensure that the campaign achieves high community visibility.
- Reporting: Providing comprehensive, periodic reports to the city.
- Outcome evaluation: Developing theory of change and logic model; measuring changes in knowledge and awareness, beliefs, and actions related to gun violence, positive social norms, and acceptance of youth violence; evaluating effectiveness of reach of specific campaign messaging; tracking referrals and youth connection to resources; and providing recommendations for process improvements based on outcome monitoring and learnings for future programming and initiatives.
§ The Office of Youth Opportunities will manage the contract and Program oversight and will provide periodic updates to City Council.
§ At renewal, potential price adjustments may be considered based on legitimate and justified increases in the cost of doing business. The ability to consider price adjustments also allows the city to accept decreases, if warranted.
§ Annual expenditures are estimated to be $300,000.
Background
§ Youth violence and other forms of violence have caused injury and trauma for individuals, families, and neighborhoods within Charlotte and other communities across the U.S.
§ In May 2024, in response to the Mayor’s community safety framework policy referral, the Housing, Safety and Community Committee identified a youth-led social norms campaign as a collaborative, prevention-focused strategy to help reduce and prevent juvenile crime.
§ Implementing a multi-media youth violence prevention and social norms campaign is a recommendation of The Way Forward Community Violence Prevention Plan for Mecklenburg County, a collaborative initiative led by Mecklenburg County’s Offices of Violence Prevention and Public Health, in partnership with the city including Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, the towns of Mecklenburg County (Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews, Mint Hill, and Pineville), the UNC-Charlotte Urban Institute, and the Violence Prevention Data Collaborative.
§ Through the Fiscal Year 2025 Adopted Budget, City Council earmarked funds to support and expand community-based initiatives aimed at preventing and reducing youth violence.
Charlotte Business Inclusion
Creative Marketing Resources, Inc. is a city certified MBE. Contract goals were not established for this contract because there were no certified MWSBEs available within the city’s database capable of performing the required work or providing the necessary goods. This determination was made based on a comprehensive search by CBI and relevant departments, utilizing the city’s vendor registration system, relevant market research, and an assessment of the work required by the contract.
Fiscal Note:
Funding: General Capital Investment Plan including funds available as a result of ARPA revenue replacement