Volunteers for Youth Justice

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Our Programs

A 3-year-old child is found home alone with only a sippy cup of spoiled milk and a half-full can of beer... A teenage boy is picked up for an alcohol-related offense... An 11-year-old boy acts out violently destroying anything in his path

Each year in our community, thousands of at-risk children, many who have been abused or neglected, are benefiting from Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) advocacy, diversion, and training programs.

VYJ programs include:

... after having her 3-year-old taken away, the mother completes an intensive drug treatment program and parenting classes. Mother and child are reunited and this recovered mom now provides assistance to others.

... after completing his time of community service and participation in the Power of Choice workshops, this teenage boy looks forward to volunteering to serve on the same court that sentenced him Teen Court.

... referred to a psychiatrist who correctly diagnosed schizophrenia, this 11-year-old boy's symptoms were relieved and with supportive training his parents learned how to handle his behavior effectively.

VYJ annually recruits, trains and supports hundreds of volunteers to provide services for children at-risk. Currently, VYJ can only support 60% of the children in need of crisis intervention in North Louisiana. Hence, there is a great need to do more.