Fresh Lifelines for Youth (FLY) addresses juvenile crime and incarceration in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties. FLY works with juvenile justice youth and those 'at-risk' of entering the system.
Incorporating cognitive and behavior therapy approach youth take a semester long law course and learn about the consequences of crime and how to make better behavior choices. They also develop assets and build skills in empathy, anger management and problem solving. Through these classes, FLY identifies youth who want and need additional support.
For one to two years, these youth work with a FLY mentor and a community of their peers to set and achieve personal goals. They create and execute service learning projects to develop the leadership skills they need to transform their lives. These teenagers also serve as FLY advisors, providing input on program design and improvement, interviewing and selecting volunteers and staff and giving feedback to system partners on how to increase their effectiveness in working with youth.