With an emphasis on safety, StreetSafe credible messengers with lived experience guide young adults in Bridgeport to improve emotional regulation and prosocial skills to attain self-sufficiency through education, trades, and career development.
Outreach at StreetSafe isn’t a one-time effort—it’s a long-term commitment. Our Outreach Workers connect with youth involved in community violence. They meet them where they are and help them see that they need to make changes in their lives. This process can take months or even years. For many of the young men we serve, the path isn’t linear. They may step forward, pull away, and try again. We build skills and provide opportunities for them to make that change. Transformation starts with connection and connection starts with showing up, no matter how long it takes.
Our Outreach Workers
Outreach Workers play a critical role in disrupting the cycle of youth violence in Bridgeport. Having grown up in Bridgeport, all staff members have firsthand experience of the challenges facing young people today.
Our credible messengers are essential in preventing violence and building stronger communities. These highly trained individuals work to interrupt conflict and the cycle of youth violence. By offering support and mentorship, they help young people disconnect from antisocial groups.
Our Core Services
Street Outreach
We meet youth wherever they are—at school, in their neighborhoods on their blocks. As members of the same community, we build trust through consistent, intentional connection, showing up again and again for those at highest risk.
Hospital Response
When violence occurs, we respond at both Bridgeport hospitals, to support victims and prevent retaliation.
Community Canvassing
We walk neighborhoods block by block with purpose, listening, building relationships, and showing up for our community.
Who We Help
We serve young men who:
- Are ages 14-25 at time of enrollment
- Lives in Bridgeport or Stratford
- Have one or more of the following risk indicators:
- Arrest history
- Multiple suspensions for school-based violence
- Expulsion for weapons possession or school-
based violence - Active gang or group affiliation
- Involved in community violence (including
shooting, stabbing, or fighting)
Do you know an individual who could benefit from StreetSafe Bridgeport? Referrals from trusted partners help us reach the youth who need support the most. Referring an individual connects them to consistent support, trusted relationships, and a path toward safety and self-sufficiency.