Collective Action for Youth describes Credible Messengers program, reports zero juvenile‑probation reoffenses and ARPA funding

Tiffany Echeverria of Collective Action for Youth told a City Committee on June 4 that the nonprofit’s Credible Messengers program matches justice‑impacted mentors with young people to address immediate needs, create individualized plans and connect mentees to partner organizations for training and services.

“Collective Action for Youth is a nonprofit dedicated to creating communities where all young people can thrive,” Echeverria said. She described a model in which mentors with lived experience make multiple weekly contacts, meet mentees where they are, and link them to services ranging from emergency groceries to vocational training.

Echeverria said the program received an initial $500,000 pilot and later a $2,000,000 expansion funded with ARPA dollars administered through the city health department; she said $1.5 million of the expansion is dedicated to the Credible Messengers program and $500,000 to a community violence interruption strategy. She described the award as a one‑year grant with an opportunity to extend for an additional year.

Program details presented included a broad age range for eligibility, 10 to 35, and a focus on ZIP codes in District B that Echeverria listed; she said referrals come from community canvassing, the Harris County Juvenile Probation Department and from judges, and that partner judges so far include Kathleen Thomas and Judge Gray. She said the program’s full capacity aim is to reach 216 mentees; when asked how many mentees are currently enrolled, Echeverria said 96. She also said the program’s average mentee age is 21 and that caseloads are primarily male (81% male, 19% female).

Echeverria said Credible Messengers receive training from CM3 and the Arches program and that Collective Action for Youth regrants funds to 13 partner organizations under memoranda of understanding. She listed partners that include Acres Home Barber College; Excel Beyond Circumstances; US Dream Academy; TXRX; Woman Healing Empowering Women; Operation Prison Prevention; Young People in Action; Sons of Sophistication; Pure Justice; CDM Boxing; A New Approach; Destined for Empowerment; and SARE. She described partner services ranging from barbering and boxing to legal representation and workforce training.

Asked about outcomes, Echeverria said the program’s self‑sufficiency tracking shows food security, employment and education as the top needs and that the highest number of referrals so far come from ZIP codes 77028, 77016 and 77060. She reported that “0 percent of our juvenile probation clients have re offended since entering the program,” a statistic committee members cited as noteworthy.

Council members and staff asked about program staffing and funding timelines. Echeverria said the organization employs a 21‑person team with an average staff age of 32, that about 75% of staff have direct justice or child‑welfare experience and that the program currently supports up to 10 full‑time credible messengers within the CA4Y intermediary model; three partner organizations each host a full‑time credible messenger with a 15‑mentee caseload capacity, tier‑2 partners provide part‑time messengers for up to seven mentees each.

Committee members expressed interest in expanding similar supports citywide, and several offered to connect the organization with workforce and funding partners. Echeverria said Collective Action for Youth is pursuing private dollars and hopes to continue partnership with the city as it documents outcomes.