YAP, Inc.The Neighborhood Advocate

Event photos by Sean Quarterman; Building portraits by Keston De Coteau

Harrisburg, PA. – A celebration at Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc.’s new headquarters building recognized the national nonprofit’s 108 Harrisburg-based employees whose work supports colleagues across the country providing community-based services as alternatives to youth incarceration, residential care, and neighborhood violence. Called YAP to the Future, the event was the official open house of the agency’s new (3899 Front St., Harrisburg) headquarters site, also known as The Support Center (TSC).

Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) Administrator Liz Ryan and Harrisburg Mayor Wanda R.D. Williams joined YAP President and CEO Gary Ivory, YAP Board of Directors Chair Georgia State Rep. Teddy Reese, Esq., and dozens of current and former board members, employees and program participants for the celebration.

“Hearing the young people tonight, it’s just so, so motivating. And this is why we do the work because we believe young people are our future, but we also believe they are our present,” Ryan said. “We want to make sure they have all the tools and resources that they need to be successful. And that’s what YAP does every day.”

YAP to the Future featured Santos Robles, Harrisburg Area Community College Enrollment Services Specialist, who spoke of his experience as a YAP program participant at age 17. He said his YAP Advocate introduced him to the idea of entering the military, where he began his career.

“My journey has led me to the belief that lots of kids need more support. They have challenges and  complex needs that require attention and care,” Robles said. I also learned that we do not need to take these kids away from their families and send them to faraway places.”

Other current and former YAP program participants who shared their stories included Intellectual Disabilities/Autism Services program participant, Connor; former Child Welfare program participant, Faith Towle, who now works as a YAP Advocate; Youth Justice program participants Jayvius and Jaequan; and YAP Behavioral Health program participant Carlos.

“Through the support of YAP, my entire life has changed,” Connor said, standing next to his YAP Life Coach Audrey Waterman. “Since the beginning of life I’ve had a lot of struggles and through the support of YAP, all of those struggles I have been able to overcome.”

A recently hired YAP Advocate who recently completed her first year of college, Towle said she is working to become a social worker so that she can become “a light,” as her YAP Child Welfare Services Advocate was for her.

“Around 16, I was referred to YAP and my youth Advocate Trinity Huffman really helped me achieve a lot in life,” Towle said. “She helped me become independent, she showed me that anything is possible, and she truly has been an amazing person in my life.”

Jayvius said that at age 14, he began stealing cars and getting into trouble with his peers. Since becoming a YAP Youth Justice participant, he said he has learned to love his positive qualities. “… I am respectful, responsible…” he said. “My goals are learning more about real estate, graduating from high school, and purchasing a car.”

Jaequan, 17, credited his grandmother, who raised him (and was there with his at the open house event), for providing needed support during his time as a YAP participant.

“Since being in the program, I have learned to think before I act, better communication skills with everyone around me, getting along with my peers,” he said. “My future goals after I get out of the [YAP Community Treatment Center] CTC program is getting my GED, getting a good paying job, and getting off probation once and for all.”

Carlos, 17, shared how at age 11, he began working with YAP Behavioral Health Services professional Anna, who helped him learn skills to express himself and manage his impulses and anger.

“I thank Anna [Kanpol] and the Youth Advocate Programs for helping me become more open and not as aggressive with peers and family, and I always use my coping skills when needed,” Carlos said. “A coping skill I discovered last year is that I can write and make music. I’m the rapper Los and this is part of a song called love me again,” he said, as he performed the rock version of the song. Carlos followed the song by surprising Kanpol with a bouquet.

Founded in Harrisburg in 1975, YAP recently relocated several TSC offices across Harrisburg to the N. Front St. building. Partnering with youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and public safety systems, YAP’s 2,150 employees serve nearly 18,000 young people and families in 35 states and the District of Columbia. Through YAP International, the agency also oversees partner programs in Australia, Guatemala, Ireland, and Sierra Leone.

“While I cannot speak to the work that youth advocate programs are doing in 34 other states, I do know what you are doing here in the City of Harrisburg and that is saving children’s lives which is important to me; giving them direction when their rock gives away,” Mayor Williams said.

YAP International’s U.S. State Department’s Community Engagement Exchange Program fellows took a few minutes to share how their experiences over the past few weeks at YAP offices in Chicago, Orlando and Pittsburg will inform their work when they return to their home countries. The fellows included Imane Lakbachi from Morocco; Dr. Ali Al-Turaihi from Iraq, and Kabira Tojalieva and Nigora Sanakulova from Uzbekistan.

YAP to the Future concluded with former YAP board members Jay Snyder and Lynette Brown-Sow unveiling a portrait of YAP founder Tom Jeffers that will hang in the lobby of the new headquarters building.

Harpist Eryn Fuson (Eryn Fuson Music) provided music throughout the event.

For more information on YAP and how you can partner with or support the organization with a donation, visit www.YAPInc.org. Follow YAP on Twitter @YAPInc.

Orlando, Fla. – Nigora Sanakulova and Ali Al-Turaihi are completing fellowships with Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. in Orange County, Florida through the U.S. State Department’s Community Engagement Exchange (CEE) Program. Working with YAP employees in Florida, Sanakulova and Al-Turaihi are getting a firsthand understanding of  the nonprofit’s unique intensive youth and family community-based wraparound services behavioral health approach.

YAP is a national nonprofit in 35 states and the District of Columbia with an international footprint that delivers community-based services as an alternative to youth incarceration, residential care, and neighborhood violence.  The CEE Program is a dynamic global network of innovators working with communities to address critical 21st century issues. CEE equips dedicated visionaries with the expertise, skills, and resources to develop multisector approaches and build healthy and engaged communities in over 100 countries. Al-Turaihi and Sanakulova are among the second cohort of CEE fellows that YAP is hosting.

Al-Turaihi is a physician who works as a health field officer at International Committee of Red Cross (ICRC) in Iraq. He oversees the health services provision in the detention clinics ensuring they are accessible and equitable to those in community settings. Al-Turaihi said the CEE program provides him with an opportunity to plunge into a new culture by sharing and exchanging skills, experiences, and challenges; in addition to “networking with a lot of amazing people from different backgrounds.”

“Honestly, this program helped me strengthen my leadership skills like public speaking, interpersonal and communication skills, conflict resolution and brainstorming new community-based projects including setting SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-bound) goals beforehand,” Al-Turaihi said. “I think that matching with YAP as a host organization was a privilege for everyone who seeks the mental and behavioral part of his/her future projects. I met a lot of inspirational therapists; I learned a lot from them, and I am hoping to convey and implement this experience once I return back to my hometown.”

Sanakulova is from Bukhara, Uzbekistan, where she works as a psychologist at a private school. She has also created her own Child Development Center for children ages 3-6. She earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from Bukhara State University. Sanakulova said being a participant of the CEE program has helped with her personal development and leadership skills, gaining new talents and improving upon existing ones, all while being able to meet new people.

“I love my workplace. (Youth Advocate Programs) is dedicated to helping people when they seem to be having the most difficult time with their families, peers, and community,” Sanakulova said. “Plus, they assist with the growth and development of youth. The work environment and culture are excellent including helpful coworkers and supervisors. We are now a big family. It is my pleasure to work and learn from them.”

YAP Central Florida Clinical Director Carmen Ziers said Sanakulova and Al-Turaihi are doing a great job integrating with the rest of the clinicians and they are developing some projects for the Orlando office.

“Coming from other cultures, they are fully immersing themselves in our culture, learning professional practices, and enriching their own skills to bring back to their home country,” Ziers said. “They also plan to contribute to YAP by sharing their own ideas and creating initiatives to better serve the population we work with. We are making them feel welcome and supported during their time with our agency.”

The CEE Program is sponsored by the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government and supported in its implementation by IREX. YAP is also hosting  fellows Imane Lakbachi from Morocco in Chicago and Kabirakhon Tojalieva from Uzbekistan in Pittsburgh, Pa. In 2020, YAP hosted fellows from Haiti and Romania.

“YAP was so impressed by the contributions and reciprocal learning afforded by hosting two fellows in the very first Community Engagement Exchange Program (CEE) last year that we expanded our welcome to four fellows for this second cohort,” said YAP Director of International Programs and Development Diana Matteson. “YAP values the professional and personal growth that our hosts and YAP community can experience by being part of CEE.”

Learn more about the CEE Program on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or the CEE website. For more information on YAP, visit yapinc.org  or follow YAP on Twitter @YAPInc.

Research for this (book, article, video, etc.) was supported in part by the Community Engagement Exchange Program, a program of the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) of the United States Department of State, implemented by IREX. The views expressed are the author’s own and do not represent the Community Engagement Exchange Program, the U.S. Department of State, or IREX.

Providence, R.I. – When Julian was a program participant with Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. in Providence, Rhode Island, his goals were to go back to high school and get off drugs. Two years later, Julian finished high school, has a full-time job at a thrift store and most importantly, – April 26 marks two years since the 20-year-old has remained drug-free.

“My [YAP] Advocates were very understanding and patient,” Julian said, adding they helped him obtain a social security card so he could get a job. “They would help sit down with me to get myself on the right track and work with me on my goals.”

YAP is a national nonprofit located in 34 states and Washington, D.C. providing community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, residential care, and neighborhood violence. The YAP Providence County program works with the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth & Families which refers young people to the organization.

Julian was referred to YAP for substance abuse issues and was required by the court to complete three months in the program in order to have his drug case dropped. Julian said he first started doing drugs at age 14 and got off them at 18. Born in Texas, he was adopted by his grandmother and moved to Rhode Island with her when he was 2 years old.

“Julian has come a long way,” said YAP Providence County, R.I. Assistant Director Allen Leach. “In the beginning he was doing pretty badly. He wasn’t going to school at all but now he’s graduated from the program and is doing well.”

Leach was on the team of YAP staff and Advocates who worked with Julian. YAP Advocates are trained to empower program participants to see their strengths while connecting them and their families to wraparound services that include individualized educational, economic, and emotional tools to help them achieve their goals and re-set their lives.

Aside from his day job, Julian is an artist and makes music. His next goal is to get a car.

“He has come a long way from where he was and what he was going through to where he is now,” Leach said. “He is spiritual and is into crystals and that type of thing. He goes to work, goes to appointments, and still is on top of his future.”

“If it wasn’t for YAP, I probably would be dead or in jail; something drastic like that,” Julian added. “YAP is an amazing program. All of the staff are very understanding and helpful people. It’s nothing but positive energy to be around.”

Learn more about YAP by visiting yapinc.org. Follow the nonprofit on Twitter @YAPInc.

Chicago – Thanks to a recent Community Day event, 100 Chicago residents are closer to finding employment and having access to healthcare and social services. A partnership with Chicago CityKey, the April event helped people of all ages obtain identification (ID) cards.

“Young people need ID cards for summer jobs; but the reality is that thousands of Chicago residents with transient living situations, are unhoused, or who have spent years incarcerated are locked out of essential resources because they can’t easily access birth certificates and other documentation required to obtain state ID cards,” said  Ken Lewis, Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. Washington Heights Violence Interruption Program Director. “An ID card is a key that unlocks doors to jobs, housing, medication, and other services needed to secure employment, health, freedom and happiness.”

YAP joined the Chicago Bengals youth sports program of the Tomlinson Education Athletic & Mentoring (TEAM) Foundation to co-host the event, which also provided free food and family activities. YAP, a national nonprofit in 34 states and the District of Columbia, partners with youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and other systems to provide community-based wraparound services as an alternative to youth incarceration, residential care, and neighborhood violence.

CityKey is an optional, valid, government-issued photo ID card available to all Chicago residents regardless of age, housing status, criminal record, immigration status, or gender identity. The card serves as a government- issued ID, a Chicago Public Library card, a Chicago Transit Authority Ventra Card, and a Chicago Rx prescription drug discount card.

The YAP Washington Heights Violence Interruption program, funded through a grant from the Chicago Department of Public Health, provides violence interruption services, street and hospital outreach, crisis intervention, peace building activities, family engagement, individual wraparound services, and conflict resolution.

For information on CityKey ID requirements, please visit www.chicityclerk.com/about-citykey. Learn more about YAP at www.YAPInc.org and follow the nonprofit on Twitter at @YAPInc.

Harrisburg, Pa. – The Safety and Wellness Committee of Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. is gearing up for World Day for Safety and Heath at Work on April 28. The nonprofit is encouraging employees to kick off the special day with Challenge 1,000 – a call to complete 1,000 hours of exercise through walking, running, playing sports or simply moving in some form or fashion through June 9, 2023.

YAP is located in 34 states and Washington, D.C., with partner programs in Australia, Guatemala, Ireland and Sierra Leone. For 48 years, YAP has provided youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health and public safety services that give communities alternatives to youth incarceration, residential care, and neighborhood violence. The International Labour Organization promotes World Day for Safety and Health at Work as part of encouraging a safe and healthy working environment.

Challenge 1,000 includes moving for 1,000 minutes through activities that can consist of walking meetings, a walk with a co-worker at lunch, employees stretching at their desk, trying a new sport after work, doing an activity with your kids, or creating a fitness challenge for yourself, said YAP Director of International Programs and Development Diana Matteson, who serves on the Safety and Wellness Committee.

“The Safety and Wellness Committee is committed to the well-being of YAP employees and the challenge to add 1,000 minutes of activity,” Matteson said. “Whether someone runs each day or modifies an activity to accommodate a chronic illness or pain, the challenge is for everyone to move however they can or to try something new. It’s an overall challenge to incorporate movement into their workday. That can include stretching each hour or whatever works for that person.”

Challenge 1,000 began as a jump rope social media challenge created by youth from YAP’s Guatemala sister agency Siembra Bien to promote solidarity through sport to encourage healthy lifestyles.

“The young people in Guatemala who came up with the jump rope Challenge 1,000 did so as a way to advocate for physical education in schools in Guatemala and are excited that their idea is being translated into a wellness event for the staff at YAP,” said Siembra Bien Executive Director Gabriela Altman. “ The young people want to say thank you to everyone going the extra mile to support the work of Siembra Bien.”

YAP’s Internal Auditor Trisha Carmo, who serves with Matteson on the Safety and Wellness Committee, plans to give herself a daily chore or job that will get her off the couch for more than a half hour. Carmo says she suffered a major pulmonary embolism due to a blood clot that traveled to and nearly filled up both of her lungs on Christmas in 2021. She said she also suffers from chronic back pain, but is committed to moving during the challenge.

“I will be planting vegetables, getting my deck furniture out and making things look nice; along with trimming some bushes, sorting things for an upcoming yard sale, cleaning out the refrigerator and getting my summer clothes out,” Carmo said. “I will try to give myself a task each day, and I have some smaller tasks I have on my list when I feel like I can’t do one of the bigger ones.”

For more information on YAP or to support us globally with your donation, visit yapinc.org or follow us on Twitter at YAPInc.

Contributor: YAP Clark County, Nev. Intern Matalasisiutaimane Howard with editing from www.theneighborhoodadvocate.org.

Las Vegas – At age 17, Isic found himself on probation and was referred by the juvenile court system to Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. in Clark County, Nevada where he was paired with Advocate Michael Gonzalez.

Isic yearned to be there for his baby, get off probation and to find gainful employment. That’s where YAP came in. YAP is a national nonprofit in 34 states and Washington, D.C., that partners with youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and public safety systems to provide community-based services as an alternative to youth incarceration, residential placements, and neighborhood violence.

Now 18, Isic said he plans to move from Las Vegas to Nashville, Tenn. to be with his girlfriend and son. He’s obtained a warehouse job and plans on getting an apartment. Hearing stories of other young people who kept getting into trouble is what eventually helped Isic choose a better path for himself.

“I reevaluated what I had been doing because hearing from other youths who were doing the same things that I did, gave me a different perspective,” Isic said. “Being able to relate to my Advocate who went through some of the same situations allowed me the opportunity to believe that there were better options out there for me. I wanted to give up, but my Advocate Michael believed in me and showed me that if he can become better, then I can too.”

YAP hires neighborhood-based Advocates who are trained to empower program participants to see their strengths while connecting them and their families to wraparound services that include educational, economic, and emotional tools. Gonzalez connected with Isic since the two share similar backgrounds and bonded immediately.

“When I first met Isic, he seemed unmotivated and acted like he didn’t care,” Gonzalez said. “He felt that he needed help but didn’t know how to ask for it. Seeing Isic now, I can tell that he’s matured and is on the way to achieving his goals. It was a long journey with a lot of twists and turns, but I am glad to be a part of his journey and to see him make it to graduation from YAP.”

Isic is described as ambitious and a fast learner who is strong-minded and loves football.

“YAP allowed Isic the opportunity to believe in himself and that there was something better for him,” Gonzalez said. “Initially, Isic wanted to give up, but I believed in him. I knew that if he knew there was something more than the things he used to do, that he could have a better future. Although Isic may be done with YAP, we’re not done with him.”

Isic just wants to be a good role model and father for his son.

“If it wasn’t for YAP, I don’t think I would have been able to get off probation,” Isic added.

Learn more about YAP by visiting yapinc.org. Follow the nonprofit on Twitter @YAPInc.

By YAP Clinton County, NY Program Director Chance Phillips

Clinton County, N.Y. -Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. is a national nonprofit in 34 states and Washington, D.C., that provides community-based alternatives to youth incarceration, residential treatment, and interrupting neighborhood violence. In Clinton County, N.Y., the 0-5 program works by providing wraparound support that includes parenting skills, improving home conditions, safety, and more. Aligned with YAP’s mission, the program aims to keep kids safely home by working with parents to create a safe, nurturing environment while teaching them skills they can continue to use long after they complete the program.

For more information about YAP, visit yapinc.org or follow on Twitter at YAPInc.

The account below is a submission from YAP Clinton County Program Participant Mary Moore.

My name is Mary Moore and being a first-time mother, I was lost after giving birth to my daughter Brielle. I was suffering from postpartum depression and didn’t have the knowledge on how to be a parent.

I was given the opportunity to work with Youth Advocate Programs, but was unsure of how YAP was going to be able to help me. I made the choice to give it a try not only for myself but for my family.

YAP’s Intensive Family Coordinator Erin Mitchell came into my home and has helped me tremendously with not only my confidence, but also my comfort levels on being a parent. I was shown new opportunities, skill improvements and genuine compassion. YAP has helped me grow into the parent that I am today!

No matter how difficult the situation was, Erin never gave up on me and was always there to push me to never give up. I am so beyond grateful to have been given this opportunity to be in this program and to have had such a wonderful Advocate in Erin. Erin has been the nicest and most respectful person I’ve ever met. She’s helped me excel in many aspects of parenthood.

For myself, YAP means hope. This program is here to remind me that help is always at my fingertips. I recommend this wonderful program to anyone who needs help.

Las Vegas  – Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. Clark County Director Neosha Smith is among six Advancing the Dream 2023 recipients awarded by U.S. Rep. Steven Horsford (NV-04) in February in honor of Black History Month.

“It was a surprise,” said Smith of the recognition. “I got a call a couple weeks back from the Congressman’s office saying that I was an award recipient.”

“Neosha is a southern Nevada native whose passion for youth and families impacted by the criminal justice system has significantly affected our communities,” Horsford wrote on Twitter. “She is a program director at YAP where she assists those involved in the youth justice system with reentry to society.”

YAP is a national nonprofit in 34 states and Washington, D.C. that provides community-based services as alternatives to youth incarceration, residential care, and neighborhood violence.

Smith, who oversees YAP’s safety and advocacy programs for the state of Nevada, started with the nonprofit in 2012. She came to YAP as an intern while attending the University of Nevada, Las Vegas where she received degrees in sociology and criminal justice. Smith has also served as a YAP Advocate, administrative manager, file clerk, and assistant director.

“I love the work YAP does and the freedom it gives,” said Smith, who was born in Guam and has lived in Las Vegas since age 5. “I think I fell in love with the work that we do. It’s different than what everyone else is doing. YAP was my first full-time job.”

YAP Clark County Job Developer Ryan Henson said he nominated Smith for the Advancing the Dream award because of all of the hard work she does with the program.

“For the last decade, Neosha has been a constant factor in changing the lives of many of our youth, and is a voice of change. She is selfless in her approach, and often times puts the needs of our youth and our program above her own,” he said. “She never gives herself praise or acknowledges her efforts because she does it for our youth. This is why I wanted to nominate her because I felt like her efforts and her commitment shouldn’t go unnoticed.”

YAP Southwest Regional Director Nyeri Richards echoed Henson’s sentiments, saying “Neosha is one of the most deserving individuals and it is beautiful to see the right people recognized.”

“It is only befitting that Neosha Smith would be awarded the Advancing the Dream award as she is someone who has spent countless hours, both personally and professionally, opening gateways for our young people so they too can advance their dreams,” Richards said.

Smith said thanks to regional and national leadership like Richards, President and Interim CEO Gary Ivory, Chief Impact Officer Patty Rosati and Chief Program Officer Dave Williams, Smith, she feels supported, heard and is equipped with the tools she needs to help young people and their families.

“That’s really a positive for YAP,” Smith said, adding “the program participants are really who keep me going and pushes me to fight for them.”

Other Advancing the Dream awardees included Arielle Edwards, Chase McCurdy, Sean Tory, Vance Sanders and LaSandra Morrison.

For more information on YAP, visit yapinc.org or follow us on Twitter at YAPInc.

New Jersey – Arrested on a gun charge at age 16, Jesse felt hopeless, defeated, and disappointed.

“When I was in that cell, all I could think about was the mistake, letting my parents down, I thought I couldn’t change that; and now I know that I can,” he said.

Jesse is one of nearly 150 young people who have received services from a five-county New Jersey Community-Based Violence Prevention Program launched last summer to reach youths at the highest risk of engagement in violence. A partnership with The New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA) and Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc., the program serves youth ages 12-18 in Atlantic, Camden, Essex, Middlesex, and Ocean counties who have a history of school suspensions, truancies, illegal or violent behavior and/or dealing mental health or substance use issues.

For Jesse, participating in the program came in conjunction with being placed on three years of probation. Now 17, he has stayed out of trouble and is on the honor roll at school. He also holds a part-time job that he secured as part of the program.

“We are glad to see that DCA’s partnership with YAP is paying off,” said Lt. Governor Sheila Y. Oliver, who serves as Commissioner of DCA. “There are so many young men and women, like Jesse, who can benefit from this program. It is important that we continue to invest in our youth and provide them with the support they need to get back on track. The YAP program is doing just that – making lifelong impacts for young people, adults, and their families.”

In its 48th year, YAP is a national nonprofit in 34 states and the District of Columbia that partners with youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and public safety systems to provide community-based services as an alternative to youth incarceration, congregate residential placements, and neighborhood violence.

Aligned with its unique evidence-based wraparound services model, YAP hires Credible Messengers with shared experience — some of whom were formerly incarcerated – to provide the New Jersey program participants with ten hours a week of trauma-informed individual and family wraparound support. As part of the program participants can attend weekly group Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS) sessions designed to address violence-related trauma.

“Participants can also take part in YAP Supported Work where community-based employers provide on-the-job training, coaching, and mentoring while the youth receive weekly compensation from YAP,” said Project Director Juan Molina. “Other activities such as peace circles emphasize healing, learning through a collective group process, addressing accountability, repairing harm, and community healing.”

Six months after the program’s launch, 109 young people were receiving services, 29 of whom were attending weekly SPARCS sessions with 21 employed in community Supported Work jobs.  Of the participants, 90 percent had no additional contact with the legal system.

Researchers from the Rutgers University Department of Psychology and the Rutgers School of Social Work are working with YAP to evaluate the effectiveness of the multi-site program. Investigators will track program participants’ school attendance and behavior, youth justice system involvement, and other risks associated with violence.

“Jesse received a perfect attendance award for participating in all program activities. His YAP Supported Work employer loves him and has offered to hire him when he completes the program,” said YAP Middlesex County Program Director Emanuel Shumate.

Program referrals come from youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, and school systems as well as from youths’ friends and family members. Consistent with YAP’s “no reject; no eject” policy, as capacity allows, The New Jersey Community-Based Violence Prevention Program accepts all qualifying referrals in the five-county service areas.

Since becoming a part of YAP, Jesse has recruited friends to enroll. “I realized that the staff who were trying to help me are good people who actually care about people in and outside of the program,” Jesse said. “I was surprised when I learned that YAP Advocates made some of the same kinds of mistakes we had made when they were younger. It taught me that everybody does make mistakes, but you can change from those mistakes.”

Jesse said the program is also making him aware of his strengths and providing opportunities for him to nurture them.

“I learned I have a good heart I care about a lot of people – that I’m smart and a good person,” he said, adding that the services have benefitted his family, too. “They are amazed and proud that I’m back on track.”

YAP will be introducing similar programs to communities nationwide. With input from the New Jersey program participants, the nonprofit has named the program model, YAP Pursuing Excellence™.

YAP’s decades of service include working with many young people whose histories include serious offenses, multiple arrests, and lengthy out-of-home placements. John Jay College of Criminal Justice research found more than 86 percent of YAP’s youth justice participants remain arrest free, and six – 12 months after completing the program, nearly 90 percent of youth served still lived in their communities with less than 5 percent of participants in secure placement.

“Since YAP, I know I can make it out of what I’m in right now and do better and get better and definitely give back,” Jesse said.

Learn more about YAP at www.yapinc.org. Follow the nonprofit on Twitter @YAPInc.

Chicago, IL – In 1975, Tom Jeffers founded Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. in Harrisburg, Pa., reunifying hundreds of youths released from nearby Camp Hill prison with their families and providing them with individualized wraparound services to put them on a positive path. Thirty-six years later, YAP hired David Williams to apply the same service model to reunify kids in Chicago-area youth facilities beyond their release date with families previously unable or unwilling to take them home.

“A lot of people thought we couldn’t do it. But the YAP Wrap model works,” Williams said.

Thirteen years after hiring him as Chicago’s first Advocate, the national nonprofit distinguished by its YAP Wrap service model has named Williams Chief Program Officer. Now in 33 states and the District of Columbia, YAP partners with youth justice, child welfare, behavioral health, education, public safety, and other systems to provide services in homes and neighborhoods as an alternative to incarceration, congregate care, and neighborhood-violence. Consistent with its model, YAP uses zip code recruitment to hire Advocates, Behavioral Health staff and Credible Messengers to deliver culturally responsive services to young people and families at home and in their communities. YAP Wrap and other trainings hone YAP staff members’ skills as they work to empower program participants and their families to see their strengths, nurture them with accessible resources, and give back to their communities.

Williams said YAP recruited him from his job at Hull House Association, one of Chicago’s largest nonprofit social welfare organizations at the time. He said that’s where he first learned about the YAP Wrap model in a training delivered by Jeff Fleischer, who would later become YAP’s second CEO before retiring in 2022.

“At Hull House, I worked for Bill Ryan, who was also a consultant to YAP’s founding CEO and is still works with us today. Bill was on the team that helped bring YAP to Chicago,” Williams said.

Prior to his recent promotion, Williams served as YAP Executive Vice President of the West and held other leadership positions, including Regional Vice President, Regional Director, and Program Director.  His new role comes as the 48-year-old organization launches a “Back to Basics,” initiative to ensure that as services expand, every program – Youth Justice, Child Welfare, Behavioral Health, School-based Services, Developmental Disabilities/Autism, Community-Based Safety, Emerging Adults, continues to adhere to the YAP Wrap model.

“Dave will work closely with regional leaders, the Support Center and national leaders to advance our mission,” said YAP President and Interim CEO Gary Ivory. “He will provide leaders support needed to firm up our infrastructure and work to ensure that our practices continue to align with the basic YAP model that for 48 years has set our outcomes apart.”

Williams appreciates the scope and importance of his newest challenge, saying he will do what has worked for him since he began his YAP career journey, leaning on wisdom gleaned from former leaders who mentored, guided, and encouraged him over the years.

“Minette Bauer was married to the founder, so working for her I learned a lot about the history of the company,” he said. “Steph [Hart] was entrenched in the model; she was also a key supporter who set an example for the importance of being surrounded by a great team, people whose hearts are in the right place.”

Among Williams’ biggest career accomplishments thus far is Choose to Change™ (C2C™), a YAP partnership with Chicago-based Children’s Home & Aid aimed at reducing the risk of violence among the city’s highest-risk youth. While YAP delivers its YAP Wrap individual and family wraparound support, Children’s Home & Aid provides weekly Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS) sessions. Through a randomized controlled trial, University of Chicago Crime Lab and Education Lab researchers have found that C2C™ reduces violent-crime arrests by almost 50 percent and increases academic engagement for participating youth. A year ago, YAP and Children’s Home & Aid began training other area nonprofits to deliver services informed by the C2C™ model, enabling nearly 1,000 young people to receive these violence prevention services.

Williams credits Chicago YAP staff members, many who were his colleagues from the beginning, for helping him achieve the outcomes that led to the success of programs he has led. He said among the office’s first YAP Advocates was the late Antoine McNutt. who died last year just months after being promoted to Program Director. Williams said he will continue to be inspired by McNutt, whom he met in 1992, soon after he returned to Chicago from the University of Louisville and began working at a youth center. Williams said McNutt, who was 13 at the time, looked to him as a role model as he leaned on his support to put his life on a positive track. McNutt earned football scholarships at Tennessee State University and the University of Illinois, got drafted into the NFL. and started his own consulting business before joining the staff at YAP.

In addition to growing programs locally and regionally over the years, Williams expanded his knowledge in the field, earning a master’s degree in Criminal Justice Reform from Chicago State University.

“Dave has proven that he can train leaders to communicate the importance of our core principals both to staff, community partners and YAP supporters,” Ivory said. “He knows firsthand that what differentiates YAP are our service delivery principles: no reject/no eject policy; neighborhood-based recruitment; never give up/unconditional caring; cultural and linguistic responsiveness; no refusal policy; individualized planning and strengths-based approach.”

Williams said in addition to his dedicated YAP team, he has a strong faith and family life. He said he realized soon after meeting Melody, who two years later would be his wife, that their meeting was destiny. “I took her to meet my aunt and it turned out that she knew my cousin, who had already told her about me a few years earlier.”  He recalled his cousin asking, ‘Melody, don’t you remember when I gave you Dave’s football picture?’”

Williams said his wife has worked closely with him over the years to support YAP fellow staff members and program participants. A deacon at his church, he looks at every part of his life as blessed and connected. He said having the opportunity to be a national YAP leader is an honor and a way to help expand services to support youth and families in communities throughout the nation and globally.

“As a Christian man, my actions must speak louder than my declarations. In the end, my hope is that people will say, ‘Servant, well done,’” he said.

YAP’s decades of service include working with many young people whose histories include serious offenses, multiple arrests, and lengthy out-of-home placements. John Jay College of Criminal Justice research found 86 percent of YAP’s youth justice participants remain arrest free, and six – 12 months after completing the program, nearly 90 percent of the youth still lived in their communities with less than 5 percent of participants in secure placement. Learn more about YAP at www.yapinc.org. Follow the national nonprofit on Twitter @YAPInc.

Jasper, Ala. –  Now 17 years old, last year Kassidy found herself in trouble after hanging out with the wrong crowd, getting arrested for possession of marijuana, and not doing her best in school. Then the Walker County Juvenile Court connected her to Walker County Alabama’s Youth Advocate Programs (YAP) Inc. where she was matched with an Advocate.

Once Kassidy entered the youth justice system, she was referred to YAP in February 2022 to complete six months with the Walker County program. Christi Day was Kassidy’s YAP Advocate. Day said she was encouraged from watching Kassidy’s growth and is pleased to see her exceed her expectations by working hard to complete the program.

“Not to say there weren’t any hurdles along the way, but Kassidy created a new future for herself,” Day said. “Kassidy is unaware that she and her family set the bar for upcoming program participants. She is an example to Walker County and to the state of Alabama that hard work and dedication pay off. Kassidy will be graduating from high school and I’m anxiously awaiting my invitation.”

YAP is a national nonprofit organization in 33 states and the District of Columbia providing community-based services as alternatives to youth incarceration, congregate residential care, and neighborhood violence. YAP hires neighborhood-based Advocates who are trained to empower program participants to see their strengths while connecting them and their families to wraparound services that include educational, economic, and emotional tools.

“Kassidy was a delight to work with,” said Juvenile Probation Officer Saderia Morman of the Walker County Juvenile Court.

Kassidy plans to enter the workforce after graduation and down the road will enroll in a community college. She credits Day for helping to guide her make better decisions and thinks of Day as a second mom and a family member.

“[Day] overall is an amazing person and Advocate,” Kassidy added. “I think YAP is a really good program for juveniles. It’s good to have someone to talk to and that is basically YAP overall.”

Kassidy continued, “Christi helped me grow individually as a person. She inspired me a lot to get out of bed and to pursue the things that I love to do. She was just awesome. I tried seeing her as much as I could. She would take me to doctor’s appointments, therapy appointments; stuff like that.”

Shelly Hunter, Kassidy’s mother, is a single parent who is thankful for YAP offering extra support with transportation, classes, communication, homework, and doing activities with Kassidy like hiking or going out to eat. Hunter and her husband divorced before Kassidy turned a year-old.

“(Kassidy’s father) has been in prison most of her life and she’s never known him as a father figure. Kassidy has a brother and sister who unfortunately followed the footsteps that their dad did. Kassidy was about to go down that road,” Hunter said. “Sometimes I struggled with providing rides for Kassidy and other things. Christi was just a blessing, really. She stepped up and just got on top of it. She would always touch base with me, her grandmother, the teachers, school, work, her doctor appointments and everything. Kassidy saw that there was something different.”

Hunter is thankful to YAP and Day. She credits the program with helping her build better understanding, communication, and relationship between herself and Kassidy.

“It was amazing,” Hunter said. “I really do think it’s also about the right Advocate pairing up with the right kid. Kassidy got a really good Advocate. Christi is a blessing; that was her calling. They need 100 of her.”

Learn more about YAP by visiting yapinc.org. Follow the nonprofit on Twitter @YAPInc.

Dallas, Tx — Cure Violence Global data finds that from May – December of 2022, 100% of the individuals who received Dallas Cred services after engaging in a violent incident have not retaliated.

Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc. launched Dallas Cred in 2021 under a contract with the city of Dallas to make violence interrupters part of its public safety strategy. YAP is a national nonprofit in 33 states and the District of Columbia that provides community-based services as an alternative to youth incarceration, congregate residential treatment and neighborhood violence. Since May when YAP began using Cure Violence Global to track program outcomes, the nonprofit provided services to 58 high-risk individuals and interrupted 51 violent acts, with a recidivism rate of only 2.6% among justice-system involved individuals they served. Learn more about YAP at YAPInc.org and follow the nonprofit on Twitter @YAPInc.

Savannah, Ga. –  YAP Chief Operating Officer (COO) Dorienne Silva is moving on from YAP after more than three decades of service. Her last day is Feb. 17.  

 Silva, who started her career with YAP in 1992 as a Vice President in New Jersey, held several positions within the national nonprofit before becoming COO. Her previous posts include Interim CEO YAP UK, Deputy CEO, President of the Southeast, and President of International Relations and Development.

“I leave with a mixture of emotions that include sorrow as well as excitement for what my future holds,” Silva said. “Most of all, I leave with gratitude for all the opportunities to contribute, learn and grow that I have been afforded throughout the years in my numerous roles.”

YAP was founded in 1975 by Tom Jeffers and offers community-based services in 33 states and the District of Columbia. The agency’s programs are an alternative to youth incarceration, congregate residential care, and neighborhood violence. Silva is lauded as one of the early builders of YAP. As COO, Silva led YAP’s national leadership team responsible for coordinating operational and business functions, building and facilitating collaborative working teams, and pursuing business efficiencies, best practices and program innovation.

Overall, Silva has led several initiatives that have improved YAP’s operations, including expansion of programming in the Southeast and New Jersey, where she managed youth, family advocacy and behavioral health programs across multiple states overseeing all personnel, policy, quality compliance, media/marketing, and fiscal concerns; as well as the evolution of the organization’s international footprint.

“Her international work is still bearing fruit,” said YAP President Gary Ivory. “For those of us who know (Silva), she is a mission-driven leader who pushes for excellence in all things. “(Silva) has played a large role in YAP’s strategic direction, strategic plans and various workgroups and teams across YAP. Please join me in wishing her the very best in her future endeavors. She leaves a very positive legacy at YAP.”

YAP’s international programs include partnerships in Sierra Leone, Australia, Guatemala, Ireland and Sweden. Silva has positioned the organization to expand overseas by providing support and by spearheading intercultural collaborations to help curb community violence, connect program participants to employment opportunities and access to mental health help, and more.

“(Silva) has had an impact on youth and families all over the world, not just in Sierra Leone, Guatemala, Ireland, Australia, Sweden, Scotland, and England but in many other places as a result of the workshops and trainings, human rights advocacy, and system change work done on YAP’s behalf,” said YAP’s Director of International Programs and Development Diana Matteson. “It’s been an honor to be at her side advocating for policy, program, and practice innovation. For her tireless efforts for youth, families, and communities on a local and global level, her advocacy for women leaders at YAP, and her mentoring of many of us…GRACIAS…te extranamos mucho.”

YAP South Carolina’s Community Relations/Program Development Director William Cameron, who met Silva in 2006, describes her as a caring and insightful mentor.

“She was on-point and a true social worker who knew the dynamics of people,” Cameron said. “Dorienne had a style where she could relate to people and people could relate to her. She knew how to connect with people. I trusted her and she had my back.”

Additionally, Silva has served on YAP’s Board of Directors, Executive Team, and was Deputy CEO under former YAP CEO Jeff Fleischer who retired earlier this year. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Puerto Rico, graduate degree from Rutgers University, and is fluent in Spanish and English.

“I have worked with many exceptional people whom I will miss and wish everyone and the organization the very best for the future,” Silva said. “Though we cannot do everything, my hope is that in the coming years you continue to receive grace and strive as a YAP team to work together to do those wildly important things you focus on very well, and most importantly, on behalf of those we serve.”

For more information about YAP, visit yapinc.org.

For over 40 years Burrus has advocated for the developmentally disabled 

Lebanon County, PA – Serving her community and working with young people and adults with disabilities for more than 40 years has earned Youth Advocate Programs (YAP), Inc., National Coordinator of Development Disabilities an induction into the Lebanon County Commission For Women (LCCW) Hall of Fame.

Lori Burrus, who has been with YAP since 2004, will receive the honor from the Lebanon County Commission for Women’s Hall of Fame Luncheon on March 22 at the Fairland BIC Fellowship Hall in Cleona, Pa. She is one of 11 recipients who, according to LCCW website,  live and work in Lebanon Valley, Pa., or have played an integral part in development and or implementation of projects that have benefited women and girls in the area. The honorees will be recognized for their work in 2022. Burrus was nominated by Michael Schroeder, who serves alongside her on the Lebanon County Pennsylvania NAACP.

“I nominated Lori Burrus because I’ve worked with her through the Lebanon County NAACP and I just became really impressed with her as a person, as a leader, as a community activist, as a human being and she just strikes me as really meritorious,” said Schroeder who serves as the secretary for the Lebanon County PA NAACP. “She is a really good person and has made a profound difference in the community without singing her own praises or blowing her own horn.”

YAP is a national nonprofit organization in 33 states and the District of Columbia providing community-based services as alternatives to youth incarceration, congregate residential care, and neighborhood violence. Burrus started with YAP as a coordinator of developmental disabilities, serving in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Maryland. She’s been in her current position since 2014 learning about new services or programs and extending that knowledge to support staff working with people who have intellectual or developmental disabilities. Additionally, Burrus works closely with program directors in assisting them with implementing new programs and supporting them with tools they need to make effective changes in their communities.

“YAP has been such an integral part of my career,” Burrus said. “Doing employment services has impacted me and the youth and the adults we support. Forty years ago, people with disabilities were only given the option of a sheltered workshop.”

Prior to YAP, Burrus worked as a coordinator and director of Community Services in Lebanon, Pa. Brittany Hilton, who used to work with Burrus at YAP and serves on the Commission for Women and the Hall of Fame committee, said Burrus is an inspiration to her and is someone who is not afraid of adversity.

“(Burrus) was not only a boss, but is a mentor and role model,” Hilton said. “The way she leads and builds confidence in others cannot be beaten. She has set a high standard for all other leaders and bosses in my life. I truly attribute the success I’ve had in building a career as a human services supervisor to her.”

Burrus currently serves as chair of the Lebanon County NAACP’s Legal Redress Committee, taking complaints from those who feel they have had their civil rights violated.

“If someone is experiencing discrimination at work or in housing or at school, we receive these complaints and Lori has been spearheading that committee and meeting with complainants; taking notes and getting their story, along with providing an ear as well,” Schroeder said. “Sometimes people just want to be listened to.”

Lebanon County NAACP President and Pastor Tony Fields, Sr., has known Burrus for three years.  Fairly new to the Lebanon County area himself, Fields says he depends on Burrus.

“She’s someone who will keep you grounded,” Fields said. “(Burrus) has wisdom. She’s not easily frazzled. As a leader you need someone in your corner that is not going to panic. You need that confidant. This day and age I couldn’t think of anyone better than her. Again, because of her role and knowing the community, she is well deserving of this induction.”

Burrus is spearheading an African American heritage trail in Lebanon County and was instrumental in helping form the local chapter of the Lebanon County NAACP in 2020. Schroeder also credits her with helping the civil rights organization to connect with the Lebanon County Criminal Justice Advisory Board (CJAB), which encourages collaboration in the criminal justice community.

“Lori has diligently attended CJAB meetings and made her presence felt for more than a year now,” Schroeder said. “She is very deliberate and respectful, and I think the CJAB is probably ready to accept our solicitation to become core members. If they do, it will be largely thanks to Lori’s quiet, understated hard work and commitment to making this happen and to having community voices heard within what’s been up till now an exclusively governmental organization.”

Burrus has dedicated her life to improving the lives of others, Schroeder wrote in the application essay he wrote when nominating her.

“Lori’s work has touched the lives of thousands of developmentally challenged young people and adults in Lebanon County and beyond in ways that have made their lives substantially better,” Schroeder additionally wrote. “Lori works to empower women and girls to be confident, effective, capable, and comfortable in their own skins by encouraging them to feel secure in who they are and know they have what it takes to succeed.  She listens carefully, withholds judgment, and always exudes an abiding respect for the whole person. Her demeanor is one of quiet confidence and calm, steady, attentive caring.”

For more information about YAP, visit yapinc.org.