READ WHYY'S COVERAGE OF THE HUB |

A pilot program to support at-risk youth has been launched in Mercer County, New Jersey. The county awarded a $500,000 grant to Salvation and Social Justice, a Trenton-based nonprofit, to operate the Restorative Justice Hub, a center offering mentorship and nonviolent resolution training for young people.

“It’s a safe place for kids to come where they can feel respected, relax, get mentorship, work on fitness and problem solving,” said Coleta Walker, director of the Restorative Justice Hub. “We currently have 25 to 30 kids from Trenton … and we anticipate that number to double when school starts again,” she said.

The Hub also serves minors enrolled in at-risk youth programs offered by the Mercer County Division of Youth Services.

Solving problems without violence

“We’re basically giving young people a place to be heard,” she said. “We’re providing a place where young people can work on their disputes. Whether that’s internal, with their family, friends, it’s a better way to solve problems than violence.”

Mykeema Ford is The Hub’s coordinator. She oversees a space where kids can release stress, styled as the Peace Room.

“They can read a book, listen to music, just wind down and take a mental break,” she said. “We also use the Peace Room for restorative justice circles, conflict resolution circles.”

Read David Matthau's full article here: https://whyy.org/articles/restorative-justice-center-trenton-teens-violence-prevention/