NYC Justice Corp

Joining the RITE Career & Asset Creation Center in the summer of 2008, the Justice Corps Initiative is a collaboration between the NYC Center for Economic Opportunity, the NYC Department of Correction, and the Prisoner Reentry Institute at John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Our goal is to support the successful reentry of formerly incarcerated young people into community life and the labor market. Eligible candidates are aged 18-24 years old, live in the Bedford Stuyvesant catchment area, and have been recently involved in the criminal justice system.

• Life Skills and Work Readiness Workshops: Workshops are designed to develop personal qualities such as reliability, honesty, an inclination to arrive at work timely every day, a positive attitude toward work, good interpersonal relations and a willingness to accept authority.
   
• Individual Coaching and Financial Literacy/Computer Literacy Training: Weekly meetings with on-staff career coach and case managers will help clients develop and execute an individual service plan that includes education, financial literacy, computer training, career and social service plans.
   
• Educational Programming: Restoration has an on-site relationship with Literacy Partners that offers day and evening classes in GED/ABE for individuals 16 and over, and with the College of New Rochelle, which has a GED-to-College program. We will also facilitate enrollment at other nearby GED programs, including the Brooklyn Adult Learning Center and New Horizons, a partnership with Family Dynamics.
   
• Community Benefit Project: Justice Corps Members engage in participant-driven community benefits projects which instill a sense of accomplishment, community and belonging. Projects are approved by community stakeholders and may include renovating community centers, beautifying public spaces such as schools and community gardens and weatherizing local properties.
   
• Internships and Post-Corps Placement: Job Developers assess participants' skills and interests and work to match these with area employers.