Shelby County, Tenn. – At 11 years old, “J,” a program participant of Youth Advocate Programs (YAP®), Inc., Shelby County, Tenn., had already been exposed to violence in his South Memphis community and hadn’t been attending school regularly.
“Before entering the juvenile justice system, ‘J’ found himself drawn to the fast money and survival-driven mindset of the streets,” said Shelby County Juvenile Court Youth Development Specialist Tracy Steele who was the first person to work with ‘J.’ “Over time, school became less important, and he was truant for two years. For ‘J,’ it wasn’t just about skipping school, it was about surviving in an environment that shaped his choices.”
Through a partnership with Shelby County Juvenile Court, YAP® Shelby County’s Youth Justice Program started in 2025 serving young people involved in the justice system between the ages of 12-18. Aligned with its unique evidence-based wraparound services model, YAP® hires Advocates who engage with program participants for 9 hours weekly providing them with individual and family wraparound support. As part of the program, youth can attend weekly group Structured Psychotherapy for Adolescents Responding to Chronic Stress (SPARCS) sessions designed to address violence-related trauma.
“’J’ was also the first youth enrolled in YAP in Memphis,” Steele added. “Through this program, he has gained more than guidance, he has developed life skills, structure, and, most importantly, meaningful connections with positive male role models who have shown up for him in ways he had never experienced before.”
In addition to Steele, who helped register ‘J’ for school, he was paired with YAP® Advocate Lance Lester, who said he built a rapport with him and his family.
“It’s nice to see him be a kid again,” Lester said. “He has a charisma about him that pulls people in. He is funny, kind and lighthearted.”
Lester said he checks on ‘J’ daily to make sure he is attending school, making good choices, and chats with his grandmother and mother.
“We go places and he helps me with school,” ‘J’ said of Lester. “It’s nice having someone to talk to and share things with. It’s a good program.”
The pair have been to the library, on walks and other activities. Today, ‘J’ is finishing up the seventh grade. ‘J’ is described as a leader and survivor among his peers.
“Despite still living in the same environment that once taught him how to survive, ‘J’ is now choosing a different path,” Steele added. “He is learning from his past, making better decisions, and actively working toward a brighter future as a successful young African American man.”
YAP® is a national nonprofit in 32 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. YAP Shelby County can provide services annually to 30 participants.
“’J’ is that number one participant who has a spot in my heart and pushes me to do the work that we do,” Lester said. “He motivates me to understand our ‘why’ and I am so grateful to be part of YAP and to the be a part of his village.”
For more information on YAP, visit yapinc.org.
*YAP is protecting the privacy of the program participant due to his age.
