Y"‚outh talking to youth.

"‚That's the peer edu- "‚cation model Teens on "‚Target is based on — "‚helping to train young people of many ethnicities to speak out about the causes and effects of violence.

An Oakland-based program, Teens on Target, works with those exposed to, or at risk of, experiencing violence firsthand and aims to develop them into youth leaders.

"They go from being victims to being advocates," said Tamara Dukes, director of Teens on Target. "They realize they can make a difference."

Teens on Target was founded in 1989 and has trained more than 800 youth leaders to conduct violence prevention workshops. It's the only program in the city that allows youth leaders to be excused from their classes during the school day to visit other middle and high schools. The students lead workshops on a range of topics including violence, racism, stereotypes and criminal justice. The program is funded by the Oakland Fund for Children and Youth, grants and individual donors.

Youth leaders have educated more than 30,000 students about the root causes of violence. They also talk about the connection between alcohol, drugs and violence.

The youth leaders work with their peers to help them change the conditions that put them at risk.

"The thread that ties it all together is to identify the problem and make changes within themselves and the community," Dukes

According to the Oakland Unified School District, the average graduation rate is 60 percent. Nearly 100 percent of Teens on Target youth leaders graduate from high school.

Through the years, Teens on Target has campaigned to get neighborhood gun dealers banned from the city. In 2000, youth leaders convinced the Tribune to stop advertising handguns and assault rifles.

"We aimed to have a multipronged approach," Dukes said.

Other efforts include working with the City Council to require the police department to trace guns confiscated from youths and to determine where the illegal firearms originally came from.

One of the ways the program measures its effect is by asking for feedback from the young people who participate. Twice as many youth leaders say they could talk a friend out of carrying a gun than before they were in the program.

In addition, twice as many youth leaders said they were "very likely to look for alternatives to violent situations" after participating in the program.

Youth leaders also are working with school security to respond to incidents of dating violence. Working with community leaders, the media and policymakers is another way youth leaders work to make a difference.

"It's about going beyond the individual," Dukes said. "We want to try and change laws and policies that are going to help to prevent violence."

Reach Kamika Dunlap at 510-208-6448 or kdunlap@bayareanewsgroup.com.