Youth Services
Catching young people before the system does. Mentorship, education, and the kind of presence that changes a trajectory — for ages 12–24.
Prevention Is Cheaper Than a Cell
Most adult reentry cases started as a youth that no one caught in time. Truancy, a first arrest, a parent locked up, an untreated trauma — the on-ramp to incarceration is predictable, and so is the off-ramp. Youth who have a stable adult mentor, school connection, and a real path to a paycheck rarely end up in our reentry program a decade later.
Our Youth Services program is the prevention arm of that work. We provide trauma-informed mentorship, educational support, mental-health care, job readiness, legal advocacy, and positive recreation for at-risk youth ages 12 to 24 — the years where the cycle either breaks or repeats.
Refer a Young PersonWhat We Provide
Six service tracks — pick what fits each young person, layer what helps
Educational Support
Tutoring, GED prep, college and vocational guidance, scholarship help, and study-skills coaching — built for students the system has stopped expecting much from.
Mentorship Program
1-on-1 mentor matching, group mentorship, peer support networks, and leadership development — the single strongest predictor of staying out of the system.
Mental Health Support
Trauma-informed counseling, substance-use prevention, anger management, family therapy, and crisis intervention — meeting youth where they are without judgment.
Job Readiness
Summer job placement, resume workshops, interview practice, financial literacy, and entrepreneurship — for first jobs and first paychecks done right.
Legal Advocacy
Juvenile justice navigation, expungement, court advocacy, know-your-rights education, and diversion-program connections.
Life Skills & Recreation
Sports, arts, music, conflict resolution, community service, and healthy-relationship coaching — because growing up should include joy.
The Youth Journey
From referral to a real plan for the future
Referral & Intake
Self-referral, family, school, court, or community partner — any door is the right door. A youth advocate meets the young person and the family within 7 days.
Mentor Match
Pair with a trained, vetted mentor. Matching considers identity, interests, geography, and lived experience — including formerly incarcerated mentors who know the road firsthand.
Education & Stability
Tutoring, GED prep, school re-engagement, and case management for housing or family-stability concerns that are blocking the academic side.
Skills, Activities & Healing
Life skills, mental-health support, sports and arts programs, and peer group time — the parts of being a kid the system often forgets.
Career & Future Planning
Summer jobs, internships, college tours, vocational training, and financial-literacy classes — building the muscle of planning beyond next week.
Transition to Independence
Step down to monthly check-ins. The mentor relationship stays. Many graduates come back as peer mentors themselves.
Industry Benchmarks We Aim to Match or Beat
Targets drawn from OJJDP, MENTOR / National Mentoring Resource Center, Big Brothers Big Sisters longitudinal data, and Youth.gov
High-School Graduation
Of participants graduate or earn a GED — well above national averages for at-risk youth.
Avoid New Charges
No new arrests within 2 years of program engagement.
Job, Trade, or College
In employment, apprenticeship, or post-secondary education at 12 months post-program.
Strong Mentor Bond
Report a meaningful, sustained relationship with their mentor — the strongest single predictor of long-term success.
Reduction in Truancy
Drop in unexcused absences from intake through one school year of engagement.
Who We Serve
Youth and young adults ages 12–24 facing the conditions that historically predict incarceration. We serve any young person referred to us — and we never charge a fee.
Truant or Struggling Students
Chronic absenteeism, academic crisis, or at imminent risk of dropping out.
Justice-Involved Youth
Young people in the juvenile system, on probation, or with an open court case.
Unstable Housing
Youth experiencing homelessness, couch-surfing, or frequent housing changes.
Children of the Incarcerated
Young people with a parent or guardian currently or recently incarcerated.
Trauma Survivors
Youth who have experienced abuse, community violence, or significant loss.
Transition-Age Young Adults
Ages 18–24 aging out of foster care, leaving the juvenile system, or working a first job.
Every Young Person Deserves a Chance
Whether you are the young person, a family member, a teacher, or a caseworker — reach out. Early intervention is the most effective work we do.