The Navigator Certificate in Human Services and Community Justice

The Navigator Certificate in Human Services and Community Justice is a training program offered twice a year for people with lived experience in the criminal legal system. Developed in partnership with John Jay faculty, employers in the field of criminal justice and reentry, and people with past criminal legal system involvement; the curriculum focuses on the skills entry-level and prospective employees need to apply their lived experience toward a career of serving others.

To access the Navigator Fall 2025 application please click here. 

NAVIGATOR CERTIFICATE TRAINING COURSE

The Navigator Certificate curriculum combines the theory and ethics of human services with key skills based on input from employers and people with lived experience in the criminal legal system.

  • Navigating and accessing social services
  • Understanding and navigating organizational culture
  • Development of the human services field and ethics in the profession
  • Professional technology and writing skills
  • Drawing on lived experience
  • Using evidence-based practices such as motivational interviewing
FOR NAVIGATOR CERTIFICATE STUDENTS
  • Instruction from John Jay College professors and other expert instructors
  • Opportunities for field placements and field research
  • Access to the Institute’s full suite of services, including career planning and post-training placement support, help to apply to college, rap sheet clean-up, and more.
BENEFITS
  • The program is free to students and fully funded by the NYC Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice.
  • Students who complete this training will be awarded a Navigator Certificate in Human Services and Community Justice from the Institute for Justice and Opportunity (IJO).
  • Students who earn the Navigator Certificate in Human Services and Community Justice and matriculate at John Jay College will be awarded six academic credits. We also have matriculation agreements with several other CUNY schools and are willing to advocate for further matriculation agreements at other colleges.
ELIGIBILITY

Applicants must:

  • Be 18 years or older
  • Have a valid New York State ID
  • Have, at minimum, a high school diploma or equivalent
  • Have lived experience in the criminal legal system
  • Be currently employed in an entry-level human services position (e.g., peer mentor, community navigator, credible messenger, violence interrupter, outreach specialist, or reentry specialist) or seeking employment in human services
  • Demonstrate stability in the community and have the ability to commit to full attendance and participation
  • Have basic technology skills (Prospective students who need an introduction to technology are encouraged to enroll in the Institute’s Tech 101 program)
  • Complete an online application and in-person interview
CERTIFICATE TRAINING SCHEDULE
  • 17-week program
  • Be available Tuesdays and Thursdays throughout the full academic semester from 6:00pm to 9:00pm
  • 100+ hours of instruction
  • 10 hours of a service learning project at a community-based organization

The Navigator Certificate in Human Services and Community Justice is offered by the Institute’s Career Pathways, which prepares people for successful careers in human services and community justice. We bridge the worlds of workforce development, higher education, and criminal justice reform.

For more information, please contact us at JustOppInfo@jjay.cuny.edu.