YLJ is a youth-led, restorative diversion program that receives youth referrals from juvenile court, officers of the law, school districts, or a community organization. |
We work with youth who are facing a civil or criminal charge, or a school disciplinary measure. |
We work with youth between the ages of 11 and 18 in the following Maine counties: Cumberland, Androscoggin, and Sagadahoc. |
"What can we grow from crisis" (art by Pete Railand)
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A core belief of Youth-LED Justice and restorative justice is that no one is disposable. Communities build, navigate, and strengthen through conflict when the perspectives and feelings of those impacted by harm are listened to and heard.
Conflict is healthy; conflict becomes unhealthy when it is mishandled and morphs into harm. Harm circles are a community-based response to a specific incident of harm. A restorative practice, such as harm circles, brings the people who were directly impacted or harmed together to have a conversation in order to address harm, needs, and decide on a way to heal together. A restorative justice approach means that healing and accountability-- rather than punitive discipline and exclusion-- form the path to justice. |
Another restorative practice that Youth-LED Justice offers is support circles. Something beautiful about restorative justice is that it is not practiced only when harm has occurred, but also as a way to build and grow support and care through relationship building with oneself and those around them.
YLJ practices support circles as a way of calling in youth and assessing what unmet needs a youth has and doing everything in our power to help meet those needs. We do this so that when youth who have experienced support circles come into conflict, they manage that conflict in a way that does not further reproduce harm. |
"All we have is each other. Mutual Aid" (art by N.O. Bonzo.)
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