Switch
At the core of our approach are SWITCH and SWITCH Youth, gun violence intervention program models designed to identify, engage and support individuals at the highest risk of involvement in gun violence. 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
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.
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 workers, 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 them through housing, employment, education and life goals
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. 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 over nine to 18 months, and longer if needed.
Each youth participant has a dedicated team:
Life coaches, who offer 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 has a coordinated path forward.
Do you or someone you know
need help?
While homicide rates are going down, there is still so much work to be done. Are you ready to change your life? Are you curious how we can help? The time is now.
What can you do?
Gun violence affects all of us. So does the solution. Whether you volunteer, donate, spread the word or join a local event, your action matters. Your voice helps initiatives like ours expand SWITCH and SWITCH Youth to even more communities. Together, we can create safer streets, stronger neighborhoods and a brighter future for the next generation.
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.