Dozens of Youngstown's youth and adults stopped by Lighthouse Covenant Ministries Thursday evening for an open discussion on the increasing violence within the city.

"We wanted to know youth's concerns, their fears and their possible solutions of what we're dealing with within the streets," said Michael Scott, Senior Pastor at Lighthouse Covenant Ministries.

While the event was planned since the spring, Pastors Michael and Wilena Scott believe the turnout was greater due to the rising violence the city has seen in August.

"We wanted to have them feel that they're important because they are," Wilena Scott said. "When someone is really willing to listen to what you have to say, that makes you feel like you really are important."

"Their voice and their truth matters," said Jeremiyah Womack, Moderator of the event. "What they feel, what they're experiencing, whatever they're going through- knowing that we care and we're here to hear them out. Not only that, but put radical action and solutions to making change."

Womack added it's a group effort and everyone within the community should be doing their part in what they can to limit the violence within the city.

"I didn't know how many people were going to be here and I didn't know what I was walking into," explained Antonio DeFrank, Youth Minister. "It was kind of a blind date. I just want there to be a change in Youngstown. I want there to be more Jesus preached and I want there to be more unity."

"Events like these would start reaching more people," explained Armando DeFrank, a junior at Potential Development. "More people will be able to go out to the streets and say there's an event coming up and I want you to come."

The group discussed parental accountability, connectivity with family structure and several things each person can do to make a change.

"We have a lot of work ahead of us," Womack added. "We really need to be out in the churches with intervention and prevention. Getting everybody young. Our mission is not done."

Pastors Michael and Wilena Scott told 21 News more events like these could be planned in the future.