MERGE: Males Engaged in Reducing Violence through Gainful Employment will engage 450 young men over three years from several housing developments in Atlantic City and from judicial referrals. Building from several model and evidence-based programs, Youth Advocates Programs is helping young men ages 14-24 build better coping strategies, enhance academic achievement, and improve their social climate and job skills with a focus on improving education and employment, and reducing substance abuse/use, gang involvement and violence among this population. Partners include Atlantic Cape Community College and major employers in Atlantic City.