Portsmouth United Safe Summer is a full-season youth violence prevention and community engagement initiative. From June through August, we keep young people engaged in safe, structured, positive activity, when it matters most.
Summer is when young people have the most free time and the fewest structured options. Safe Summer fills that gap with camps, jobs, sports, workforce training, and community events all summer long. Late-night athletic programming runs to 11:00 PM specifically to keep youth engaged and safely occupied during the hours that matter most. Every program is free and open to Portsmouth residents.
Everything we run falls into one of five categories, so families and partners can find what fits.
Paid summer work, job placement, and youth-led initiatives that put money and experience in young people's hands.
Job readiness and certifications, including cybersecurity and a Health & Safety course whose certifications can open the door to federal-level jobs without a bachelor's degree.
One-time community gatherings like the Summer Kickoff and Monica's Kickball Tournament that bring the whole city together.
Multi-day and week-long camps for different ages and interests, keeping kids busy through the season.
Sports and structured activities running to 11:00 PM, keeping youth engaged and safely indoors overnight.
Safe Summer grew out of a simple idea: give young people something positive to do, and the whole community gets safer. Violence historically spikes over the summer months. Rather than react to that, Portsmouth United decided to fill the season with opportunity, recreation, jobs, training, mentorship, and connection.
The initiative grew into a full-season program: camps, late-night athletics, adult workforce certifications, and signature community events. Churches, nonprofits, gyms, schools, and businesses across Portsmouth signed on as partners, each contributing programming under one shared banner.
Today Safe Summer runs from June 1 through August 15, 2026, with programs across all five categories, all free, all accessible, all Portsmouth.
The coordinating backbone of Safe Summer, bringing community partners together, managing logistics, and keeping the mission focused all season.
Churches, nonprofits, gyms, schools, and businesses across Portsmouth who show up every summer to build something meaningful for their neighbors.
Young people hired to capture Safe Summer through photography and video, building real skills while telling the story of their own community.
Whether you are a family looking for programs, a partner with something to offer, or just want to learn more, we would love to hear from you.