FUTURE LEADERS

Justice-Impacted Young Adults 18-24

A STRIVE alumni shakes hands with new STRIVE Future Leaders members

STRIVE Future Leaders is a multi-component program for justice-impacted young adults, 18-24, that focuses on workforce training, career exploration, educational enrichment, and work experience, delivered by staff trained in facilitating program services and cultivating an environment of positive youth development. The program is enhanced through case management, mentoring, community service projects and financial capability education. Graduates of Future Leaders receive job placement assistance and lifetime wellness and career support.

Key goals of Future Leaders are to increase labor market involvement and educational attainment for young people who've been impacted by the justice system, to increase self-efficacy and civic engagement and reduce criminal involvement.

Since 2012, STRIVE has successfully secured multiple funding awards from the U.S. Department of Labor that allowed us to serve young adults impacted by the juvenile and adult justice systems residing in under-resourced neighborhoods across the STRIVE network. Future Leaders currently operates in Atlanta, Chicago, Connecticut, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia and San Diego.

“Before I was enrolled, I was in and out of court, skipping school, doing things I wasn’t supposed to. I wanted to get my GED, and a good-paying job, STRIVE helped me with all that and made me become an easy, outgoing and outspoken person.
STRIVE Future Leader (Boston, MA) ”
 
STRIVE Future Leaders graphic illustrating four steps in the program's services delivery model
 
“I feel prepared but nervous at times. Mostly about the unknown. That’s the part that actually scares me. Something I learned in the program is the value of research. In the past, I would go to job interviews, or I would get really nervous answering some of the questions because I didn’t practice or do my research. But now I know that once I know what it is about then I feel a lot better about going and being involved.
- STRIVE Future Leaders 2018 Participant (Hartford, CT) ”