Regional Youth Adult Social Action Partnership (RYASAP) promotes the strengthening of youth and families through direct services, leadership development and system reform advocacy. It operates a Juvenile Review Board (JRB) that diverts young people from the justice system, provides mediation services in courts and schools for youth and family members, and trains formerly incarcerated outreach workers to engage gang members ages 14-24 and connect them to community services to help them escape gang life. RYASAP also trains young adults to act as nonprofit leaders through Public Allies of Connecticut’s programs in Bridgeport, New Haven and Hartford. As part of its advocacy efforts, RYASAP hosts the CT Juvenile Justice Alliance and the Bridgeport area Local Interagency Service Team (LIST) with subcommittees on racial and ethnic diversity, parent and youth engagement, and trauma team development. This unrestricted funding will help RYASAP sustain its range of services and support its justice reform advocacy efforts as co-chair of the CT Juvenile Justice.
