Using Partnerships to Create Meaningful Community Service Opportunities for Youth

Last week’s spring recess from school filled the Justice Center with kids doing community service through our Adolescent Diversion Pilot (ADP) program. On Thursday, April 12^th, Red Hook’s Community Service team partnered with the Department of Transportation for a special community service project to prime and paint 600 feet of wall space on the bike path leading up to the Manhattan Bridge.

Bike path before ADP youth community service work

Many of the teens began the day reluctant to take time out of their vacation to tackle such a large and daunting task, but after encouragement and motivational one-on-one talks from staff, they began to encourage each other to complete the project. As the day progressed, youth shared their experiences with each other and discussed lessons they have learned from their contact with the criminal justice system. By the end of the day, youth were able to go home proud of completing a meaningful project on a highly visible and utilized bike path, as an important step towards having their cases dismissed and avoiding a criminal record.

Youth working together to paint the Manhattan Bridge bike path

Special thanks to Red Hook's Alternative Sanctions Department for coordinating their very first ADP youth community service project with the Department of Transportation, and to Nelson Rivera and Ronnell Jack, Red Hook’s community service supervisors, for a great job encouraging and motivating our ADP youth this week.

Finished bike path

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