Concord, NC, February 4, 2026
In response to rising juvenile violence, Cabarrus County mother Ashley Gabriel has founded Phoenix Youth Village, a non-profit initiative aimed at establishing a charter school. This school will focus on providing support and essential life skills to underserved teenagers, addressing the root causes of youth violence through a holistic educational model. Amidst local concerns over violent crime trends, the initiative embodies a proactive approach to fostering mental wellness and social responsibility among the youth.
Concord Battles Teen Violence with New Community-Driven Initiative
Concord, NC – In response to a recent increase in juvenile violent crime, a Cabarrus County mother has launched a new non-profit organization aimed at proactively addressing youth violence through a unique educational and support model. Ashley Gabriel has established Phoenix Youth Village, an initiative focused on creating a charter school designed to intervene early and provide essential life skills and mental health support to underserved teenagers in the community. This effort comes amidst a local context of rising concerns over juvenile crime, highlighted by multiple arrests of teenagers for violent offenses in the last three months.
Phoenix Youth Village: A Proactive Approach
Ashley Gabriel’s vision for Phoenix Youth Village stems from her observation of troubling headlines regarding youth violence and a perceived gap in current support systems for teenagers. The non-profit aims to address the root causes of juvenile crime by developing a charter school that focuses on comprehensive student development. This includes teaching critical life skills, providing mental health resources, and offering coping mechanisms to help young people navigate challenging situations.
Gabriel believes that existing programs often only address parts of the problem and lack accessibility for all students who could benefit. Her concept of a “village” seeks to encompass the whole student, offering a holistic approach to prevent them from “falling through the cracks.” Phoenix Youth Village is currently working on securing funding to bring its charter school concept to fruition, intending to serve underserved teens in Cabarrus County.
The Local Landscape of Youth Violence
The establishment of Phoenix Youth Village occurs at a time when Cabarrus County has seen fluctuating crime trends. As of 2022, Cabarrus County reported a total crime rate of 2,744 incidents per 100,000 people. This rate was lower than the North Carolina state average of 5,312 incidents per 100,000 people in the same year, though it exceeded the U.S. national average of 3,906 incidents. The county experienced a 13.4% decrease in its overall crime rate between 2020 and 2022.
However, violent crime rates specifically in Cabarrus County increased by 2% in the year leading up to February 2025. In 2023, there were 256 violent crimes reported, contributing to a rate of 108 violent crimes per 100,000 people. The most prevalent violent crimes were aggravated assault, accounting for 68.4% of incidents, and robbery, making up 21.5%.
Broader Prevention Efforts in North Carolina
Beyond local initiatives, North Carolina has been actively working to combat violence at a state level. The state’s first Community Violence Prevention Strategic Plan was published in 2024, providing a three-year roadmap to implement a public health approach to reducing violence, harm from violence, and firearm misuse across the state. This plan forms the foundation for the work of North Carolina’s state Office of Violence Prevention.
Several organizations and programs are already active in the region. The Cabarrus Health Alliance, for instance, implements the Stop School Violence Program in partnership with local school districts. This program utilizes a two-phased approach focusing on building resiliency and cultivating restorative practices and conferencing among educators and administrators to improve school climate. Other programs include Safe Dates for dating violence prevention and the Youth Advisory Council (YAC), which focuses on youth-civic engagement.
Nationwide, trends in youth arrests for violent crimes have shown a decline since the mid-2000s, reaching a new low by 2020. In 2020, the number of violent crime arrests involving youth was 78% below the 1994 peak. Youth accounted for a smaller proportion of arrests for murder, robbery, and aggravated assault in 2020 compared to 2010, with their overall share of violent crime arrests dropping from 14% to 7%.
The emergence of Phoenix Youth Village underscores the community’s proactive stance on nurturing its youth and fostering a safer environment by addressing the complex challenges that contribute to teen violence directly through education and mental wellness support.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Phoenix Youth Village?
Phoenix Youth Village is a non-profit organization founded by Cabarrus County mom Ashley Gabriel, aimed at creating a charter school to proactively address youth violence by providing essential life skills and mental health support to underserved teenagers in the community.
Who founded Phoenix Youth Village?
Ashley Gabriel, a mother from Cabarrus County, founded Phoenix Youth Village.
What is the primary goal of Phoenix Youth Village?
The primary goal of Phoenix Youth Village is to intervene early and stop youth violence by developing a charter school that teaches life skills and helps students with their mental health, offering a holistic approach to student development.
What is the current status of violent crime in Cabarrus County?
Violent crime rates in Cabarrus County increased by 2% in the year leading up to February 2025. In 2023, there were 256 violent crimes reported, with aggravated assault and robbery being the most common.
Are there other violence prevention programs in Cabarrus County?
Yes, the Cabarrus Health Alliance implements programs such as the Stop School Violence Program, which focuses on building resiliency and restorative practices, and Safe Dates for dating violence prevention.
What is North Carolina’s statewide approach to violence prevention?
North Carolina published its first Community Violence Prevention Strategic Plan in 2024, which provides a three-year roadmap for a public health approach to reducing violence, harm from violence, and firearm misuse across the state.
Key Features of Phoenix Youth Village
| Feature | Description | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Organization Name | Phoenix Youth Village | Local |
| Founder | Ashley Gabriel | Local |
| Primary Goal | Reduce teen violence through early intervention and holistic student development. | Local |
| Key Initiative | Creation of a charter school focused on life skills and mental health support. | Local |
| Target Audience | Underserved teenagers in Cabarrus County. | Local |
| Current Status | Working on securing funding for the charter school. | Local |
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