SEARCH UC
Find the work.
Follow the pathway.
All pages
Home
The Urban Conservation, safety, opportunity and community pathways
The Story of UC
History, mission and twenty years of community work
The Original UC Record
Original mission, vision, intervention framework, values and public language preserved from the former website
Meet the Founder
Ferome Brown, lived experience, leadership and vision
Our Advisors
Advisors offering perspective, counsel and community connection
Collaborations
Advisors, nonprofit partners, public-sector partners, sponsors and donors
UC + We Educate Brilliant Minds
New nonprofit collaboration expanding college, career, mentoring and HBCU pathways
News & Press
Coverage, recognition, press releases and media resources
News & Press Archive
Published coverage and recognition documenting UC since 2005
UC + WEBM Partnership Press Release
Full August 20, 2026 partnership announcement with PDF and related links
Programs
Active and completed The Urban Conservation programs
Services
Service groups UC provides to participants and partners
Education, Workforce and Life Pathways
Education, employment, housing, career planning and the SAFE. ALIVE. FREE. INSTITUTE™
SAFE. ALIVE. FREE. INSTITUTE™
Six-month youth and adult development experiences and practitioner training
Sole Purpose™
Annual community shoe giveback and The Big Sole Drop
Everybody Eats™
Ongoing community food support effort
HBCU Twin Cities Summit
College, career and culture summit
SAFE. ALIVE. FREE.™ All-Star Weekend
The reimagined Project Take Back through sports, mentorship and community
Impact
Reporting, evidence and accountability
Contact
Referrals, partnerships, media, giving and general inquiries
Get Support
Contact UC, find community resources or get immediate crisis help
Forms
Program referrals, partnership requests, Everybody Eats participation and impact documentation
Crisis & Immediate Help
911, 988, violence prevention, victim support and emergency contacts
Housing & Shelter
Emergency shelter, homelessness prevention and housing navigation
Violence Prevention & Safety
Group or gang violence concerns, victim support and community safety
Mental Health & Substance Use
Crisis counseling, peer support and treatment navigation
Abuse & Family Safety
Domestic violence, exploitation, child safety and vulnerable-adult reporting
Food, Benefits & Basic Needs
Food access, public benefits and emergency practical support
Youth, Family & Opportunity
UC referrals, youth shelter, mentoring, education and family support
UrbanYouConservation
How UC grew with young people into adulthood, family and community
Safety & violence prevention
Immediate, relationship-based work that helps interrupt harm and create a safer next step. Violence prevention and street outreach Conflict mediation and de-escalation Safety planning and crisis response Group facilitation and restorative circles
Mentoring, youth & family development
Consistent support that builds accountability, confidence and stronger relationships around the participant. Mentoring and credible-messenger coaching Youth leadership and life-skills development Family, caregiver and survivor engagement Positive recreation and team development
Education, workforce, housing & life pathways
Practical connections that help people move toward education, employment, safe housing and long-term stability. Workforce readiness and employment connections Education access and college exposure Housing stability and navigation Career, conservation and life-pathway planning
Wellness & support navigation
Trauma-aware support and warm connections to the right community or professional resource. Case management and service navigation Wellness, grief and behavioral-health referrals Participant check-ins and support coordination Connection to licensed or certified providers when needed
Community partnerships, research & program capacity
The coordination, learning and infrastructure that helps partners deliver credible, accountable community work. Community partnership and referral coordination Professional training and facilitator development Partner-backed research, evaluation and program design Documentation, compliance and outcome reporting
Group Violence Intervention (GVI)
Safety & violence prevention City of Minneapolis · Contract COM0009173 Credible-messenger outreach, intervention and coordinated support focused on reducing group violence and connecting people with safer pathways. UC serves as a contracted community support and outreach provider within Minneapolis Group Violence Intervention. The organization brings credible-messenger relationships, practical problem solving and sustained follow-through to people facing the greatest risk of involvement in gun violence. Builds trust through direct, credible community outreach. Helps participants understand immediate risk and identify a safer next step. Connects people with housing, employment, wellness, basic-needs and trauma-support resources. Provides mentorship, accountability and ongoing contact as participants work toward an off-ramp from violence. Coordinates with the public and community partners involved in the GVI support structure. Adults identified through the Minneapolis GVI process who face elevated risk of being involved in group- or gang-associated gun violence—as a victim, a participant in violence or both.
Youth Group Violence Intervention (YGVI)
Safety & violence prevention Hennepin County · Contract HS00001794 Youth-centered intervention, referrals and family coordination for young people facing elevated risk. UC is a contracted YGVI support and outreach provider and an accessible, community-based resource for participating young people. UC brings a trusted-adult relationship to the intervention and works with the young person, family and support system around immediate safety and longer-term stability. Participates in coordinated intervention planning for referred young people. Helps deliver a credible, direct message that the young person is valued and that help is available. Builds an individualized support relationship after a young person chooses to participate. Works with families and other trusted adults surrounding the young person. Connects participants with resources that address trauma, safety, education, stability and other barriers to leaving violence behind. Young people identified through the Hennepin County YGVI process, including youth who may not already be on probation, together with the family members and support systems involved in their lives.
Project LIFE / Group Violence Intervention & MinneapolUS Strategic Outreach Initiative
Safety & violence prevention City of Minneapolis Documented violence-intervention, strategic outreach and safe-community work completed through UC’s Minneapolis program history. Across Project LIFE, GVI and MinneapolUS work, UC contributed credible street outreach and relationship-based violence interruption. The focus was to recognize rising conflict, calm situations before they became violent and connect people with support that made nonviolence more possible. Identified conflicts and community conditions with the potential to escalate. Used informal mediation, nonphysical conflict resolution and trusted relationships to de-escalate tensions. Communicated directly about the human and practical costs of continued violence. Connected people at risk with services and support for behavior change. Helped mobilize community relationships around safety and the rejection of violence. People, families and Minneapolis neighborhoods affected by serious group violence, including individuals at elevated risk and community members working to prevent retaliation and further harm.
Ujamaa Place
Housing & stabilization Ujamaa Place A housing-stability and reentry connection supporting education, employment, family relationships and community resources. UC’s role is to help a participant recognize stabilization needs, make a credible connection to Ujamaa Place and stay engaged while the participant navigates the next steps. The exact current referral and participation arrangement remains under documentation review. Identifies needs involving housing, employment, education, reentry, family connection or wellness. Explains the partner pathway and helps prepare the participant for a successful connection. Makes a warm referral when Ujamaa Place is an appropriate fit. Encourages follow-through and helps address barriers that could interrupt participation. Keeps UC’s broader mentoring and navigation relationship available around the referral. Young African-American men seeking culturally responsive support for stability, brotherhood and personal success, subject to Ujamaa Place’s current eligibility and enrollment requirements.
The Bridge for Youth
Housing & stabilization The Bridge for Youth A youth housing and stabilization connection offering shelter, supportive housing, outreach, crisis support and healthy relationships. UC helps young people and families recognize housing instability, understand the available crisis and shelter pathway and connect with The Bridge for Youth when it is the appropriate resource. The exact current referral arrangement remains under documentation review. Listens for immediate safety, shelter and basic-needs concerns. Helps a young person or caregiver identify the right Bridge for Youth contact or service pathway. Supports a warm connection to emergency shelter, outreach or supportive housing information. Continues relationship-based support while the young person navigates housing and stabilization needs. Connects families with additional UC or community resources when one referral is not enough. Young people experiencing homelessness, housing instability or family crisis. The Bridge for Youth’s official site provides current age ranges and eligibility for each shelter, outreach and supportive-housing option.
Next Step
Safety & violence prevention Hennepin Healthcare · City of Minneapolis Hospital-based violence intervention helping survivors of shootings, stabbings and other violent injuries move from crisis toward safety, healing and stability. Launched in July 2016, Next Step remains based at Hennepin Healthcare. The Urban Conservation’s founding history identifies Ferome Brown as one of the community leaders who helped start Next Step alongside Farji Shaheer in 2016. Brown brought lived experience and trusted community relationships to the work. This history sits within his broader commitment to violence prevention and survivor support; today’s hospital program is coordinated through Hennepin Healthcare and its partners. 2016: Next Step launches through HCMC and the City of Minneapolis during Mayor Betsy Hodges’s administration. UC’s founding account credits Ferome Brown’s early involvement alongside Farji Shaheer, publicly recognized as a Next Step co-founder. 2018: Minneapolis City Council records document Shaheer presenting on Next Step and Brown presenting on Group Violence Intervention at the same youth violence prevention meeting. Today: Next Step staff connect bedside support with ongoing case management and community resources after discharge. Survivors of violent injury, including shootings, stabbings and serious assault, and the families or support systems helping them recover. Originally focused on ages 12–28, the program now describes support for survivors of all ages. Ask the Next Step team about individual eligibility and available services.
Project Take Back
Youth, family & community Northside Achievement Zone · formerly the PEACE Foundation A neighborhood-team model bringing basketball, community engagement and coordinated outreach closer to residents. UC designed Project Take Back as a relationship-first basketball and community-engagement model. Basketball created the doorway; UC used the time around the game to connect young people with credible adults, positive peers, recognition and a stronger vision for life off the court. Organized neighborhood basketball opportunities that were accessible and relevant to young people. Recruited credible mentors, community supporters and experienced athletes to engage participants. Connected sports participation with accountability, education and positive decision-making. Used scholarships, prizes and recognition to reinforce commitment on and off the court. Brought residents, sponsors and volunteers together around youth safety and opportunity. Young people who benefit from positive recreation, trusted mentorship and a visible community alternative to violence, isolation and hopelessness.
Youth Outreach Collaboration (2023)
Youth, family & community Minnesota Department of Human Services Youth outreach delivered through a documented collaboration with the Minnesota Department of Human Services. UC delivered relationship-based youth outreach within a documented 2023 collaboration supported alongside the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Because the detailed scope record is still being organized, this page describes only the confirmed outreach role and the consistent UC method used in that work. Engaged young people through trusted community relationships. Listened for safety, family, education and practical support needs. Helped young people identify realistic next steps and appropriate resources. Provided encouragement and follow-through beyond the initial contact. Worked alongside public and community partners without duplicating their services. Young people reached through the 2023 collaboration and the families or community systems connected to their needs.
School Outreach & UC Special Truancy Projects
Youth, family & community MAD DADS Minneapolis · Minneapolis Public Schools · Washburn High School School-based engagement, youth outreach and special truancy-project collaboration. UC brought credible community outreach into schools and special truancy work to help re-engage students who were becoming disconnected. The organization’s role was to build trust, address barriers honestly and connect accountability with practical support. Met young people through school and community outreach rather than waiting for them to ask for help. Built a trusted relationship that made honest conversation possible. Explored attendance, safety, family and motivation barriers affecting school engagement. Helped students set next steps and strengthened follow-through through accountability. Connected students and families with school, community and support resources when needed. School-age young people experiencing disengagement, truancy, elevated risk or barriers that make consistent participation in school difficult.
Male Outreach & Groups
Youth, family & community FATHER Project Male outreach, peer groups and family-support work designed to strengthen responsibility, relationships and connection. UC used credible peer relationships and facilitated groups to help men strengthen responsibility, family connection and stability. In partnership with the FATHER Project, the work linked honest conversation and accountability with concrete fatherhood, employment and family-support resources. Created a trusted space for men to discuss responsibility, barriers and goals. Used peer connection, coaching and accountability to support positive change. Reinforced the importance of emotional and economic support for children and families. Connected participants with employment, parenting, child-support and case-management resources. Encouraged continued participation and practical follow-through after referral. Fathers, parents and men working to strengthen family relationships, employment stability, parenting skills and their ability to support their children.
UC Special Project 8:46: Social Justice Awareness Community Outreach — George Floyd
Youth, family & community UC special project · Community outreach · Protect Minnesota advocacy Community response work connected to George Floyd in 2021, alongside UC’s documented social-justice and gun-policy advocacy. UC created Special Project 8:46 as a community-awareness response to George Floyd and the broader demand for racial justice. UC used community presence, public education and trusted relationships to connect remembrance with action against violence. Created visible community outreach centered on George Floyd and the meaning of 8 minutes, 46 seconds. Made space for conversation about racial justice, safety and community responsibility. Elevated community voices and encouraged constructive public participation. Connected the project with UC’s ongoing violence-prevention mission. Supported gun-violence-prevention advocacy alongside Protect Minnesota. Young people, families and community members seeking a constructive way to learn, remember, participate and advocate around racial justice and violence prevention.
African American History Outreach for Middle-School-Age Youth
Youth, family & community Saint Peter Claver Catholic School · Saint Paul Public Schools Culturally grounded African American history outreach for middle-school-age youth. UC delivered culturally grounded African American history outreach that connected history with identity, leadership and belonging for middle-school-age youth. The role was not simply to present facts, but to help young people see themselves inside a larger story of resilience, contribution and possibility. Prepared age-appropriate African American history content and discussion. Connected historical learning with identity, confidence and cultural pride. Used credible facilitators and relationship-based conversation to sustain engagement. Created space for questions, reflection and respectful dialogue. Linked history to leadership, responsibility and the choices young people make today. Middle-school-age youth, especially students who benefit from culturally affirming history, identity development and trusted adult facilitation.