Louisville programs to help youths in juvenile justice system get back on track

Programs will pair kids with mentors

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (Aug. 27, 2014) — Two new programs in Louisville, Right Turn and Right Turn 2.0, are designed to help 500 Louisville youth in the juvenile justice system—including those with mental and physical health and substance abuse issues—get back on the right path for completing school, planning for careers, getting training and finding employment, Mayor Greg Fischer announced today.

The programs are funded by $2.25 million from two federal grants recently awarded to KentuckianaWorks, greater Louisville’s workforce investment board.

Over the next three years the programs will pair volunteer adult mentors with court-involved youth, ages 16 to 19, to help guide them in setting personal and career goals and working to meet those goals.

Volunteer adult mentors will be screened and trained, using the Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) model, to work one-on-one with the youth as a positive role model and help the youth develop and reach positive academic, career and personal goals. Both programs will host events for the mentors and youth to provide social activities as well as those focused on career development.

More volunteers are still needed for the programs. Anyone interested should contact the Kentucky Youth Career Center at (502) 574-4115.

The federal funding allows the hiring of case managers, who will work directly with young people and program and mentor supervisors.

Youth are referred to the programs from the Department of Juvenile Justice, Louisville Metro Youth Detention Services, Bluegrass Aquatic Rehab and Training Center, Department of Community-Based Services, the Louisville Public Defender, YMCA Safe Place, Kentucky Youth Career Center, Restorative Justice Louisville, local high schools and other partners.

The programs operate out of the Kentucky Youth Career Center, 510 W. Broadway, Suite 700, in downtown Louisville.