MEDIA, Pa. — The Center for Resolutions is looking for volunteers to take part in the Youth Aid Panel program.
The Youth Aid Panel program has been in existence since 1997 and works with first-time juvenile offenders.
A Youth Aid Panel (YAP) empowers a community to participate in problem-solving in its neighborhood.
Youth Aid Panels are not a part of the juvenile justice system but consist of trained volunteer community members.
Panelists are screened by the local police departments and trained by the staff of the Center for Resolutions. Training sessions are eight hours long and take place over four days in the evening.
The volunteers will be helping the youth in their community:
*By preventing them from becoming more deeply involved with negative behaviors
*Learn the cause of the offense and help the family address the underlying problems
*Provide individualized resolutions
*Increase accountability and responsibility of the youth for their actions; and
*Hold the juvenile responsible for their actions and shows them how their actions have affected the community.
After training provided by the Center for Resolutions, as well as a background check, the volunteers will be assigned to the panel in their community where they will review cases and assign resolutions. The panel typically meets once a month in the evening.
Residents over the age of 18 are encouraged to consider joining their town’s Youth Aid Panel.
Visit the Center for Resolutions’ website to apply online at: https://www.center4 resolutions.org/rem-youth-aid-panel-services/.
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