Building Communities, Changing Lives: The NYC Justice Corps Community Benefits Projects
Building Communities, Changing Lives: The NYC Justice Corps Community Benefits Projects
The NYC Justice Corps aims to change the dynamic between justice system-involved young adults and the communities in which they live. At the heart of the program are community benefit projects – from renovation and restoration projects to educational and arts initiatives – designed and carried out by Corps members. Community benefit projects promote transformation on several levels. By taking the lead in all aspects of creating and completing their service projects, Corps members learn the hard and soft skills needed for their return to education or entry into training and the workforce. Neighborhoods, too, benefit from transformational physical improvements and the positive engagement of their young people. Community benefit projects have the potential to pave the way for a shift in community members’ perception and experience of young people with criminal histories.