We are a new program of OAR of Arlington County, working with court-involved youth in DC. Come volunteer with us!
Offender Aid and Restoration of Arlington County, has been assisting inmates and ex-offenders in Northern Virginia since 1974. Since 2009, OAR has managed the Community Service program for adjudicated youth who live in Northwest Washington DC. The goal is to restore these young offenders to the community as productive and responsible citizens and reduce DC’s high recidivism rate. The Community Ser
vice Program for Youth works with the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to offer a number of services, including a comprehensive education program called WHY TRY, the supervision and placement of community service hours, a community-based, one-on-one mentoring program, and case management. For many of the children we serve, judges have decided that these young men and women have great potential to break the cycle of recidivism and have therefore placed them on probation instead of incarceration. We view their court mandated community service as more than just picking up litter. We pair our youths with organizations where they will be connected with a strong sense of mission, inspiring people, and different issues and world views than they might otherwise come across. At OAR we are determined to help our youth overcome their mistakes, even after they fulfill their probation requirements, and strengthen their self-respect and attitude. There are a number of ways to get involved with CSPY. The CSPY Mentoring Program is always looking for motivated, engaged, and dedicated community members to serve as mentors for our youths. Mentors commit to meeting with their mentees for 2 hours each week for one year. Research has shown than mentoring can delay alcohol and drug use, reduce violent behavior, and decrease school absenteeism. But, most importantly, a mentor can help build self esteem and provide a youth with a valuable role model. A mentor job description and application as well as information about other volunteer opportunities can be obtained by emailing Lindsay Caldwell, Volunteer and Mentoring Coordinator, at [email protected] or call (202) 545-7923, ext.11.
