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Pathways advisory council discusses mentorship pilot, 'handshake' initiative at Kennedy Plaza
Summary
Members of the Providence Pathways Advisory Council discussed a mentorship pilot and the ongoing "handshake" program at Kennedy Plaza, emphasizing school-level ownership, law enforcement continuity at dismissal points and follow-up asset mapping for neighborhood outreach.
The Pathways Advisory Council met to discuss a mentorship pilot and a ‘‘handshake’’ initiative at Kennedy Plaza intended to build adult-youth connections at school dismissal and public transit hubs.
The council said the handshake program — volunteers and staff greeting students as they arrive at school and at Kennedy Plaza — has produced interest from schools and community partners but has not yet been formalized into a city-led mentorship program. Council members said they expect schools could take on ownership and that implementation may vary by route or school.
"I talked to the superintendent...we just give the kids handshakes if they're coming into the school building," said Lisa Pino Warren, a council member, describing a recent morning program she participated in. Council members discussed the tradeoffs between a single-school pilot and a larger program covering multiple routes.
Providence Police Department Lieutenant Patrick Barr said the downtown detail has dedicated officers assigned to Kennedy Plaza to provide continuity and to familiarize officers with regular student drop-off patterns. "I have dedicated, [officers] that are down there...they see pretty much the kids do the same officers," Barr said, adding that the department is monitoring juvenile congregation and that no major incidents had occurred in recent weeks.
Members noted the need to coordinate with school staff, recreation and other city departments. Council staff were asked to follow up on asset-mapping work and to invite relevant department directors to a future meeting to identify supports and schedules for dismissal coverage.
The council agreed to continue discussions about who should lead a mentorship pilot and whether the group should publish a one-year report that includes an asset map of existing programs and identified gaps. Members also discussed pairing modest, replicable actions — like scheduled handshake events at Kennedy Plaza — with an inventory of services so funding or staffing requests can be tied to documented gaps.
Next steps recorded at the meeting include asking council staff for an update on asset mapping at the next meeting and inviting school and department directors to discuss operational support at Kennedy Plaza.
