Pathways to Justice Careers for Youth (PJC)

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This program supports at-risk and court-involved youth that are still in school (“eligible youth”) by providing: 1) exposure to the world of work in the career fields of justice and emergency services, 2) mentoring to encourage participants to complete a high school diploma or equivalency, and 3) supportive services that engage participants and deter them from engaging or re-engaging with the criminal justice system. The Department plans to award approximately 5 grants of up to $1,000,000 each. These grants will combine case management, mentoring, career exploration, and exposure to the world of work models in the field of justice and emergency services for in-school youth ages 16 to 21, that are eligible to graduate within 2 years and are at risk of dropping out of school or at risk of entanglement in the criminal justice system, or both; the eligible youth must be enrolled in a public secondary school or alternative secondary school. This grant provides these in-school youth the opportunity to work with and be mentored by professionals currently working in justice and emergency services careers. Services will be customer-focused, based on the needs of the individual participant. The PJC grants will ensure each participant has an individualized service strategy (ISS) detailing the steps needed to complete a career pathway program, showing where one enters the pathway, how he or she advances along the pathway, and where the pathway leads him or her long-term. Participants are to be intimately involved in the design and implementation of services so their individual voice is represented and their needs are being met.

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