Youth Advocacy Foundation

Hey Everyone! We'd like to introduce you to some of the awesome interns we have volunteering their time with YAF and EdLaw this summer. First up, meet Jacob Crawford! 😎 Jacob, a rising 3L at Northeastern University School of Law, joined the EdLaw team as a legal intern in May 2024. Post-grad, he hopes to assist in the effort to end the cradle-to-prison pipeline by representing young people that become involved in the state's court system. Thank you to Jacob for spending the summer with us and helping us with our mission so that our state’s most vulnerable children will have the opportunity to succeed in school and in life! ☀️ Stay tuned for more intern intros!

Good news! Senator Crighton filed an amendment to the Senate Economic Development bill (amendment #474) that would raise the age of juvenile jurisdiction to add 18 year olds. This past Friday, the MA Senate voted in support of this amendment with a vote of 31-9! There will be a final vote in the Senate this week and then it goes to the House. . This initiative aims to improve outcomes by offering rehabilitative programs rather than adult sentencing for certain offenses. Duci Goncalves of CPCS was quoted in the press release, "The ‘Raise the Age’ initiative is a critical step towards a more equitable and effective legal system. By allowing 18-year-olds to be under the jurisdiction of the juvenile court, the Senate has recognized the importance of providing rehabilitative support rather than punitive measures. This approach is proven to reduce recidivism, improve public safety, increase access to education, and ultimately create a more just society." CPCS along with us at YAF are proud to support the "Raise the Age' initiative and are committed to advocating for and supporting policies that promote fairness, rehabilitation, and opportunity for all members of our community. Read the full press release here: https://lnkd.in/eXauVm8q #raisetheage #juvenilejustice #equityineducation #juvenileadvocacy #educationmatters

Happy 4th of July! Today marks the anniversary that the U.S. declared its independence. Receiving a quality education provides students an invaluable opportunity to lead independent, confident, healthy lives in their adulthood. Learn more about YAF's initiatives at our website: https://lnkd.in/eSHgzwP

Meet Michele Scavongelli, YAF's Executive Director and a class of '79 MIT alum! After crafting a successful career in the insurance industry, Michele decided to become a lawyer, dedicating her legal career to advocating for students to stay in school and keep them out of prison. She embraces the need for holistic care of clients, going beyond legal advocacy to support youth in all aspects of their life. Whether they need help navigating class registration or simply need someone to talk to, Michele has always stepped up. Learn more about her story and advocacy here: https://lnkd.in/eXwAvDbT

Calling all Boston Celtics fans!! ☘️ Not only are the Boston Celtics excellent at basketball (hence their 2024 NBA title), they are also committed to promoting equity and justice in their community. 👩⚖️ Join them in Raising the Age, a movement that seeks to include 18-20 year-olds in juvenile jurisdiction. Older teens should be regarded by the courts just as they are - simply teenagers. Classifying them as adults damages their opportunities for holistic rehabilitation, robbing them of a thriving and healthy future. Take action, click the link below and tell Massachusetts to RAISE THE AGE! https://lnkd.in/e4rdUB7S #raisetheage

Three major bills are currently being considered by the legislature that could change the youth experience in Massachusetts for the better. Click the links below to take action by completing one-minute forms that will urge state legislators to pass the bills by Saturday, June 30th: Amendment #184 will put a stop to suspensions and expulsions in response to perceived violations of school rules on grooming and dress. Every youth deserves to be able to showcase their authentic self without fear of retaliation. (https://lnkd.in/eP3hs2zj) Amendments #209 and #271 will allocate $10M in funding for housing and support services for youth experiencing homelessness, a problem that is disproportionately affecting members of the LGBTQ+ and BIPOC community. Access to housing and support are basic human needs - no youth should be barred from accessing either. (https://lnkd.in/eqynXBQR) Raise the Age will include 18-20 year-olds in juvenile jurisdiction. When courts regard juveniles as adults and send older youth into the adult system, these teenagers are exposed to toxic environments that often plunge them into a life of more crime and instability. Every youth deserves the opportunity to be on track for rehabilitation. (https://lnkd.in/e4rdUB7S) #supportyouth #takeaction #juvenilejustice #raisetheage #educationmatters #equityineducation

“More than 225,000 students across Massachusetts attend segregated public schools, mostly with low graduation rates and standardized test scores, because state education leaders for decades have failed to comply with laws requiring them to foster integration, according to a new report by a state oversight committee." Some of the state’s most marginalized students have been most severely affected by the state’s lack of action: 65 percent of the students in the substandard segregated schools are Latino and a quarter are Black, according to the report, “Racial Segregation in Massachusetts Schools” by the Racial Imbalance Advisory Council. Often the students are attending inferior schools within short distances of higher-performing schools." The racial makeup of a school environment predicts the quality of the education provided, with segregated nonwhite schools often being chronically under-resourced and neglected. But, when students of color have the opportunity to attend the same better-resourced schools that White children routinely attend, Black children perform markedly better on standardized math tests. Segregation in schools can set an entire community of students up for a path of low academic performance. That needs to change. Brown's Promise, an organization committed to ending racial segregation has identified Massachusetts as a state with many racially segregated school districts, with highly resourced predominantly white schools just one town away from highly under-resourced predominantly Black and Latinx schools. YAF Executive Director, Michele Scavongelli, is participating in statewide conversations sponsored by Brown's Promise to talk with community members about ways to improve the current education landscape. Learn more about the scene of racial segregation in schools here: https://lnkd.in/ehtrFSm2

Today, June 19th, 2024, marks our country's second Juneteenth National Independence Day, a federal holiday celebrated annually to commemorate the ending of slavery in the United States. At YAF, racial equity is central to our mission of protecting youth in their right to a quality education. In Massachusetts, Black students are three times more likely than their White peers to be suspended for the same exact behavior. These students are often left stranded without access to an education that could support them in realizing their full potential. YAF works tirelessly to change this reality year-round. To learn more about our mission and action, check our website at https://lnkd.in/eSHgzwP #Juneteenth #BLM #nationalindependenceday #EquityInEducation #endracialinequity #schoolmatters #justiceforall #educationadvocacy #socialworkersmatter

The effects of anxiety can be paralyzing, making it incredibly difficult for many students to find a sense of motivation, safety, and comfort in their school environments. Schools are given the option to file a CRA (Child Requiring Assistance) in response to chronic absenteeism for a student. However, CRAs often needlessly bring students into juvenile courts, disregarding the added stress and trauma of a court setting on a youth's wellbeing. YAF and EdLaw work to step in between the court and the student, seeking to identify the underlying reasons behind truancy to create a plan that meets the needs of the student involving, often, the provision of special education services and proper school placements. To read the recent article in the Boston Globe on this topic please visit: https://lnkd.in/eG_xsRcQ

Happy Pride Month! Here at YAF, we celebrate the LGBTQ+ community and all their achievements and contributions! 🏳️🌈 Take a look to see Pride celebrations happening near you! LGBTQ+ youth are more likely to experience violence and a lower sense of connectedness at school, discouraging them from active participation and attendance. No youth deserves to feel excluded from their school environment. Everyone is entitled to equitable, safe, and accepting access to education. YAF seeks to amplify the voices and experiences of the LGBTQ+ youth community, supporting them in their education and growth. ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜🩷🤍🩵🤎🖤 #pridemonth #happypride #EquityInEducation