Restorative Justice for Vallejo Youth
New Dawn is preparing to launch the Restorative Justice for Vallejo Youth Program funded by the California Endowment.
The purpose of the program is to improve student health and well-being by encouraging youth and adult residents to support positive school discipline and school climate reform in the City of Vallejo.
The goal of this program is to educate students and make them aware of Restorative Justice and how it can work for them. The program will strive to empower youth through discovery and discussion of history, culture, social problems, and the political forces surrounding them
The three areas of instruction are focused on improving soft skills, leadership and advocacy and personal development:
- Keep youth and young adults safe and expose them to caring productive environments where they may learn and strive.
- Engage more young people in organizing and advocacy for systems change to create healthy learning environments in schools.
- Provide a series of classes through a consulting juvenile justice expert for youth at-risk for incarceration.
The objectives of this program are the following:
- At least 50 young people will participate in organizing events to support restorative justice in their schools.
- At least 30 young people and parents attend school board meetings to advocate for full implementation of restorative justice in Vallejo Schools.
- More young people have a positive vision for their own health as evidenced by at least 50 young people participate in pre and post survey conducted by New Dawn Vallejo on their relationships with school; at least 70% of the young people relate in survey responses that they have developed the following mindset:
- They like/enjoy school.
- They can visualize themselves graduating from high school.
- They can visualize themselves attending college.
- They can visualize what they want to “be” when they grow up.
- Fewer young people in the City of Vallejo have contact with the justice system.
Program Details:
15 High School Students will meet bi-monthly from September through May of each school year. A program facilitator, volunteers, and City Agency (District Attorney’s office, Probation department, Police department, Sheriff’s department) representatives will assist with educating these students on the Restorative Justice process in their schools.
Students will be involved in restorative justice process and will be introduced to, and get involved in, Vallejo City Council and Vallejo City Unified School District School Board, to be able to learn, understand, and ask questions and work to help bring down the juvenile arrest rates.
Audience: High School Students living in the City of Vallejo and attending the Vallejo City Unified School District, inner-city residents, youth exiting the Juvenile Justice System, high school dropouts and other individuals seeking to further their life skills.
During the program Students will plan a “Walk for Justice” march which will take place at the end of the program. Students will invite, and be joined by, Solano County students, parents, educators, agencies and community organizations. Together they will march in support of educating students around restorative justice in education helping to raise awareness.
On Monday, January 21, 2019, NDVC hosted the “Walk for Justice” march and was joined by Solano County Students, parents, educators, community agencies and organizations. Together we marched in support of educating students around restorative justice in education helping to raise awareness.
