Case Manager

Reports to

Academic Advancement Coordinator

N/A

ACS facilities (Crossroads Juvenile Center, Non‑Secure Detention, Limited Secure Placement in Brooklyn and Queens)

Youth Justice Network (formerly known as Friends of Island Academy) was founded in 1990 on the school floors of Rikers Island to anchor, support and develop capacity among young people newly released from jail in New York City. Our mission is to break cycles of incarceration and build an equitable justice system by providing young people with individualized advocacy, mentorship, and opportunities to grow, thrive, and lead.

Youth Justice Network builds on connections developed with young people whose lives have intersected with the justice system, and leverages those relationships to provide post‑release, neighborhood‑based supportive services. Young people become members of Youth Justice Network for the long‑term and develop personal milestones and goals in health and well‑being, education, employment, youth leadership and community participation.

Youth Justice Network is honored and excited to have been selected by the NYC Administration for Children’s Services/Division of Youth and Family Services to offer Workforce Development Services for young people held in secure detention at Crossroads, and limited secure and Close to Home placement settings in Brooklyn and Queens. The award represents an investment in the promise of so many of the City’s most resilient young people and reflects YJN’s experience in supporting justice‑involved young people in and out of custody.

This initiative will launch September 1, 2026. Youth Justice Network is building a team to provide young people in ACS custody with high quality career exploration, work readiness, vocational training, tutoring, and related supports. The vision and goal of this initiative is to leverage young peoples’ time in detention and placement by offering relevant, necessary skills and tools to build self‑efficacy and agency.

In collaboration with ACS, DOE, and key community partnerships, this initiative will provide justice‑impacted young people with individualized advocacy, mentorship, coaching, and opportunities to grow, thrive, and lead.

Tutors play a critical role in Youth Justice Network’s (YJN) ACS‑funded Career and Education Pathways initiative by providing individualized and small‑group academic support to justice‑involved youth ages 13–21. Tutors reinforce classroom instruction, deliver targeted literacy and numeracy remediation, and prepare youth for GED/HSE exams and credit recovery.

Working closely with YJN staff, Lead Tutors, Coaches, and DOE/Passages Academy teachers, the Lead Tutors ensures that youth remain academically engaged during their time in ACS custody and have clear educational plans for reentry into school, training, or postsecondary pathways. Tutors use trauma‑informed, culturally responsive instructional strategies that affirm youth identities and strengthen both academic skills and confidence.

• Provide direct tutoring in literacy, numeracy, GED/HSE preparation, and credit recovery for middle and high school content.
• Adapt instructional strategies to individual learning needs, including accommodations for students with IEPs.
• Reinforce classroom instruction provided by DOE/Passages Academy teachers, ensuring alignment with credit‑bearing coursework.
• Incorporate project‑based learning, real‑world applications, and culturally relevant materials to increase youth engagement.
• Support each youth in developing their
  
  Career Readiness Portfolio, documenting academic progress as part of broader career and education planning.

• Coordinate with YJN staff, Tutors, Coaches, and DOE/Passages Academy staff to ensure seamless academic support.
• Participate in regular case conferencing and team meetings to address barriers to academic success and support individualized education plans.
• Collaborate with Coaches to ensure tutoring connects to career goals, sector‑based training, and workforce readiness.
• Refer…