Making the Case for a Culturally Competent Youth Gang Violence Prevention Program Among the Somali Community in Hamilton

Abstract

The purpose of this project was to clarify the unique value of MCIS, a Somali community–driven initiative in Hamilton that engages parents—particularly mothers affected by youth gang violence—as leaders in prevention and healing. MCIS combines safe spaces for grieving and mobilization with family engagement, awareness campaigns, law enforcement collaboration and practical support such as safety planning and court accompaniment. To situate its novelty, this report reviewed evidence on the causes of youth gang involvement, synthesized best practices and interventions, and assessed evidence of program impacts through a literature review of systematic reviews and an environmental scan of 14 relevant programs across 3 cities in Ontario.