Friends of Island Academy Inc

Youth are provided a sense of belonging and opportunities for achievement by mapping out personal milestone goals along five key program domains: education, employability/employment, health and well-being, community participation and recreation and arts. The longer they remain engaged by and connected to Friends, the greater the influence the organization has on their trajectory to becoming economically independent adults, connected to their communities in positive ways.Friends services are offered to court-involved youth in and out of custody of the Citys system of adult and juvenile jails and custodial facilities. For youth in custody, services are offered pre-release, during transition and post-release, with youth who were in the custody of the Citys justice system jails and detention centers, fostering connections and sustaining relationships with young people throughout the process. Through developmentally appropriate programming and evidence-based supports, Friends helps facilita

Friends of Island Academy breaks cycles of incarceration by providing opportunities for positive youth development among young people released from custody in New York City. (Continued on Schedule O) Friends was founded in 1990 at an alternative high school on Rikers Islandknown then as Island Academyto address recidivism rates, untapped potential and disproportionate confinement of people of color among the thousands of adolescents who attended school on Rikers Island every year. The organization leverages the strengths, resilience and hopefulness of youth to navigate obstacles and transform their lives and communities for the better. Though the scope of services has broadened over the last two decades, the organizations core mission remains unchanged.