New Brunswick, N.J. – A year ago, 16-year-old Aaliyah was identified as being among the state’s youth at the highest risk — as a victim or perpetrator — for engaging in violence. With support from Youth Advocate Programs (YAP™), Inc. Middlesex County, New Jersey’s Community Anti-Violence (CAVP) program, she has boosted her confidence, landed a full-time job, and sees her life headed in a positive direction.
“I went through some traumatic events that I just recently got out of maybe four or five years ago,” Aaliyah said.
Aaliyah during CPR training.
As part of the CAVP program, Aaliyah was placed in a YAP Supported Work job at Mr. Subs™ sandwich shop. YAP Supported work partners are local businesses that agree to provide employment for program participants with the youths receiving paychecks for their work from YAP. This aspect of YAP’s wraparound services model helps youth see that they are employable and helps them build their skills, professional and community relationships, and resumes. YAP matches youth with employers based on their individualized needs and interests.
“The job has really helped me out of a lot,” Aaliyah said. “Not only in terms of responsibility but made me feel really comfortable and welcome.”
Recently, with Aaliyah’s time in the program coming to an end, Mr. Subs™ brought her on as a permanent employee. The high school junior now works three times a week after school making sandwiches and cashiering.
In 35 states and Washington, D.C., YAP is the nation’s leading nonprofit provider of community-based services that reduce the nation’s over reliance on youth incarceration and residential placements. The young people YAP serves are referred through youth justice, child welfare, developmental disabilities, education, and other public systems. YAP’s neighborhood-based Advocates empower program participants by helping them see their strengths and connecting them and their parents, guardians and other family members with individualized tools to meet their economic, educational, and emotional goals.
Aaliyah has been in the program for approximately five months.
“My Advocate didn’t sugar coat anything. She wasn’t harsh with what she said. She is like a mother figure to me.”
YAP Middlesex County Assistant CAVP Director Abel Mims said staff felt confident in placing Aaliyah with the restaurant, a fast-paced space where she could interact with customers. He said for program participants to take part in Supported Work they must consistently attend classes and pass all of them with a minimum of C or higher, show improved behavior with their Advocate and at home, and show up to their scheduled outings with their Advocates.
“At the beginning of services Aaliyah struggled in some of these areas, however; she was always positive, had a great attitude, and was willing to receive correction doing her part to fulfill the requirements,” Mims said. “Aaliyah is a very outgoing young woman who is very mature for her age. We sought to place her in a fast-paced working environment where she could use these qualities to her own advantage and hone her potential leadership qualities.”
Aaliyah said her Advocate has been through the same things she has and that she has a really good connection with her.
Aaliyah will be discharged from the program soon. She said she’s more social now and that working at Mr. Subs™ has helped her feel more confident.
“I got to keep my position at the job,” Aaliyah said, which was her goal. “It’s more like a family there. It’s such a comfortable environment.”
Mims said YAP Middlesex County staff is thrilled about Aaliyah’s progress and all of her accomplishments.
“We are very proud to say that Aaliyah really shined in this position, contributed to their team , gained much needed professional skills, and has left a long-lasting impact on that Supported Work site,” Mims added.
For more information on YAP, visit yapinc.org.