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RISCRISC (Richmonders Involved in Strengthening our Communities) is a grass roots organization that empowers faith communities to unify across racial, economic, and religious lines in order to create a powerful communal voice that holds public officials accountable for solving the root causes of injustice. This fall, Southminster is partnering with Bon Air Presbyterian Church to engage in the work of RISC.
Click here to learn more about RISC and its work. |
risc issues
1. Raising reading levels in elementary schools - After hearing about the RISC's work on this issue in Henrico county, Richmond Public Schools and City Council officials asked RISC to implement a pilot program of Direct Instruction in Richmond Public Schools. This is a great development! At the action, we will ask Richmond and Henrico schools to implement this reading curriculum.
2. Healthcare jobs pipeline - RISC is working on a healthcare careers pipeline that connects our community's workforce centers, which provide training and support services, with our region's hospitals, where 500+ entry-level jobs go unfilled each year and promising career paths abound. At the Action, we will ask the hospitals and other stakeholders to follow through on their commitments.
3. Childhood trauma - 90% of children and youth treated for mental illness in our region have experienced trauma. In Chesterfield County, 1 in 12 children lives in poverty and the overlap of poverty, community violence, and other possibly traumatic experiences is evident. At the Action, we will ask Chesterfield schools to acknowledge the impacts of trauma on their students and take steps, in collaboration with other county agencies, to explore an evidence-based trauma training for school staff.
2. Healthcare jobs pipeline - RISC is working on a healthcare careers pipeline that connects our community's workforce centers, which provide training and support services, with our region's hospitals, where 500+ entry-level jobs go unfilled each year and promising career paths abound. At the Action, we will ask the hospitals and other stakeholders to follow through on their commitments.
3. Childhood trauma - 90% of children and youth treated for mental illness in our region have experienced trauma. In Chesterfield County, 1 in 12 children lives in poverty and the overlap of poverty, community violence, and other possibly traumatic experiences is evident. At the Action, we will ask Chesterfield schools to acknowledge the impacts of trauma on their students and take steps, in collaboration with other county agencies, to explore an evidence-based trauma training for school staff.