Youth Justice Network

Health and Wellbeing:Through a combination of therapeutic and arts-based supports and services, health and well-being services are integrated to address young peoples needs on an individualized basis. Staff worked across programs City-wide to show up for youth and families throughout the pandemic through a combination of professional staff, peer leaders and advocacy staff. Our health and wellbeing team incorporates arts therapy and arts activities, offering therapeutic art sessions to young people in and out of custody living with PTSD, anxiety, grief, and depression.

Education:The Education Center team provides in-house HSE classes, tutoring, and referrals to additional educational pathways. Youth participants also engage with Youth Advocates/direct service staff to make educational progress in the following areas: outside referrals, preparation for school, school enrollment, tutoring, school attendance, and testing.

In 2016, our core services were scaled with NYC public funding through a four-year Demonstration Pilot: a system of discharge planning and aftercare supports for the youngest people in NYC custody. We connect with youth shortly after their admission, expedite case processing through court-based advocacy, engage with youth in their neighborhoods post-release, and facilitate connections to supportive networks. In 2019, this Pilot was institutionalized, as evidenced by a $19M commitment made by the City to replicate this work and extend it to all populations (including special populations like ours) City-wide. They resulted in recognizing the relevance of individualized and community-based advocacy and building relationships that begin in custody.YJNs integrated programs support young people throughout their incarceration and transition to the community by helping them set and achieve goals to improve their civic and community engagement and to develop positive, healthy ties to their families and broader communities that allow them to contribute to society in meaningful ways. The following are the organizations recent accomplishments for our community-based, education, employment, and health and well-being services.Community Based (Core Services, Mentorship, Court-Advocacy, Books to Jails) YJNs team of advocates and mentors meet with participants in their communities to continue providing supportive services while establishing community ties, fostering prosocial activities and engagement, and supporting positive youth outcomes.