Switch

At the core of our approach are SWITCH and SWITCH Youth, gun violence intervention program models designed to identify, engage and support. These programs combine clinical support and community outreach services to help end cycles of violence. Our goal is to stop the next shooting before it happens and transform lives in the process.

Support with the Intention to Create Hope

Our Programs

The SWITCH program is designed for adults at the highest risk of being involved in gun violence, as either victims or perpetrators. Participants often come to us after surviving a shooting, leaving incarceration or trying to escape a violent lifestyle.

Each participant is supported by a dedicated team that includes:

Outreach specialists, who build trust through credibility and consistency

Clinical specialists, who help participants heal from trauma

Life coaches, who model change and offer mentorship

Case managers, who guide participants through housing, employment, education and life goals

SWITCH engagement is long-term, usually 12-18 months. We help participants create a life plan and set real goals. They also take part in individual and group therapy, building the skills to manage conflict, reduce stress and avoid retaliation. We focus on family engagement, employment training, educational support and assistance with resources and basic needs. This is where the meaning behind SWITCH comes in: Support with Intention to Create Hope.

For young people already exposed to gun violence, change must come early and fast. Provided citywide, SWITCH Youth supports teens with serious legal involvement, repeated arrests or gang ties. We work with young people and their families intensively for over 12 to 18 months and longer if needed. The path includes individual and group sessions, family engagement, employment training, educational support, and assistance with resources and basic needs.

Each youth participant has a dedicated team:

Life coaches, who offer intensive mentorship from lived experience

Clinical specialists, who provide therapy for trauma and behavioral health

Case managers, who help with school, family support and system navigation

We also work with courts, probation officers and schools to make sure every young person and their family have a coordinated path forward.

What we do works

Do you or someone you know need help?

While gun violence rates are going down, there is still much work to be done. Are you ready to make a change in your own life? Want to find out more? The time is now.

Submit a Referral

What can you do?

Gun violence affects all of us. Whether you volunteer, donate, spread the word or join a local event, your support matters. Together, we can create safer streets, stronger neighborhoods and a brighter future for the next generation.

Memphis Allies Race for Reconciliation Martin Luther King Jr. Day

Get Involved

The best way to understand the impact of Memphis Allies is to hear from the people doing the work and those whose lives have been changed by it. Visit our blog for stories of hope, healing and transformation from across Memphis. From life coaches to SWITCH participants, every story reveals the power of this work.

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