By Cathleen Twardzik

On August 5, The Elizabeth Peabody House will kick off its new Hot Days Cool Nights Summer Safety Basketball Initiative, which will run until September 11.

The initiative’s goal is to support and provide a positive outlet for inner city teens and young adults between 16 and 24 years of age.

Hot Days Cool Nights will consist of a basketball league, as well as a required thirty-minute lecture series that will engage participants whom are recruited from community partners, the recreation departments of the City of Somerville and City of Cambridge, as well as agencies that service youth.

Further, the lectures will consist of interactive conversations, which will be facilitated by guests, all of whom will discuss the topics of civic engagement, de-escalating violence in the community, employment, drug and alcohol awareness, mentorship and community service.

“We hope to make it an annual summer basketball league,” said Paul Kuhne, Outreach and Resource Coordinator of Elizabeth Peabody House. “Games will be on an average level of competitiveness , with players participating from all over Cambridge and Somerville,” he said.

The initiative will culminate with a championship game and a community block party.

During the program, two games will occur each Friday night, the first at 8:30 p.m. and the second at 9:30 p.m. Each evening will come to a close no later than 11 p.m. All of the games will take place at Dilboy Field in Somerville or at Hoyt Field in Cambridge.

The initiative is focused on enriching and strengthening the community by using basketball as a vehicle to reach and engage a diverse population of teens, as well as young adults from Somerville and Cambridge.

The aim is to enroll eighty participants in the basketball league, to provide participants with a positive pathway to express themselves, and to give them an opportunity to learn how they can address social issues in society, utilize basketball to cross social barriers, and to carry out an assessment.

The Boston Foundation is funding the program, which is being supported by the recreation departments of the Cities of Somerville and Cambridge.

“We’re currently in the recruiting phase to get more prospective players interested in the league,” said Kuhne.

Individuals may get information about how to sign-up as a player or to help out in the league by contacting Selvin Chambers at schambers@elizabethpeabodyhouse.org or at (617) 623-5510.