Addressing violence: Project Ujima

Including:

• Hospital-based services that are culturally and developmentally appropriate, including medical care, peer support, crisis intervention and social and emotional assessment
• Home-based services, including medical follow-up of injuries, evaluation of primary health care needs, psychological screening for patients and families, and ongoing individual, group or family counseling
• Community-based services, including mentoring, youth development, family and youth support groups, gang interventions, job preparedness and advocacy to address legal, education and housing issues
• Community and professional education about youth violence, including seminars on youth violence and youth development, participation and support of community based-activities and forums, and crisis support and debriefing
• Services to adult crime victims

Project Ujima serves all youth victims of violence who seek treatment for:

• Gunshot wounds
• Stabbings
• Physical assaults

Project Ujima supports youth and their families with:

• Medical follow-up with a nurse
• Visits at the hospital and at home with community liaisons
• School and court advocacy
• Help with locating resources for the family
• Mental health services for individuals and families
• Youth development, mentoring and enrichment activities

The average child is involved with Project Ujima for 15 months. In that time, they build self-esteem and social skills through many positive experiences, including mentoring, support groups, summer camps, and more.

Project Ujima also provides services to adult crime victims, including:

• Home visits with a crime victim specialist
• Assistance with crime victim compensation forms
• Victim and court advocacy
• Emergency assistance
• Enrichment activities for the family

Project Ujima serves adult victims in Milwaukee County of any crime type, including:

• Property crime
• Physical assault
• Rape/sexual assault
• Domestic violence
• Homicide

Project Ujima provides a support group for adult survivors of homicide. When a person loses a loved one to homicide, many questions arise. Project Ujima works with participants to understand the grieving process, identify resources, and provides support to family members on their road to recovery.

We work to help children and their families build relationships with others who have had similar experiences and understand the challenges of being victims of violence. Participants can engage in programs that develop prevention and intervention strategies and support youth who are recovering from injury. Project Ujima aims to build:

• Confidence
• Self-esteem
• Safety planning
• Coping strategies
• Peer to peer support to prevent isolation
• Prevention of re-injury

Programs include:

• Male and female youth mentoring groups
• Support groups for adults and children
• Day camp during the summer months
• Annual three-day overnight camping experience with horseback riding, team building, and water sports
• Family enrichment activities and events

Participants who exhibit strong leadership qualities can join the youth leadership council, which provides a youth voice in the following areas:

• Program development and evaluation
• Community outreach
• Guest speaker services
• Volunteer training

Youth leaders complete an application process along with interviews to become representatives. Once accepted, youth leaders plan Project Ujima events, work at our summer camp as counselors, volunteer, and complete community service.

Children's Wisconsin's emergency room is staffed by physicians from the Medical College of Wisconsin's Department of Pediatrics, who provide treatment to hundreds of teens every year for injuries caused by violence. Behavioral health and social work staff coordinate family and youth psychosocial screenings and services. The Medical College provides leadership and expertise by conducting research projects to determine the project's impact on its clients.