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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Roy Waterman, Program Coordinator for the Archers Program and Youth Justice Initiative at Good Shepherd Services
6:25:19
ยท
137 sec
Roy Waterman from Good Shepherd Services testified about youth justice programs and the importance of mentoring and educational opportunities for at-risk youth. He thanked the council for reinstating certain programs and expressed concerns about funding and data requests from the Department of Probation.
- Advocated for the reinstatement of the Next Step program and the importance of credible messengers in youth programming
- Thanked the Department of Probation for reinstating the AIM Light program for high-risk youth ages 13-18
- Expressed concerns about funding for future RFPs and the Department of Probation's recent requests for information and documentation from providers
Roy Waterman
6:25:19
Thank you.
6:25:20
Good afternoon, speaker.
6:25:25
I'm sorry.
6:25:26
The technical deputy speaker Ayala, members of the committee of criminal justice.
6:25:30
My name is Roy Waterman.
6:25:31
I am the program coordinator for the archers program and youth justice initiative division at Good Shepherd Services.
6:25:38
Good Shepherd Services is a provider of community based youth justice programs, a family enrichment center known as the crib, partnerships in Brooklyn, cure violence in the Bronx, so we're throughout New York City.
6:25:50
Just wanna thank you for advocating for the reinstatement of the next step program, which was abruptly brought to an end by the Department of Probation over a year and a half ago with short notice.
6:26:00
Youth need educational vocational opportunities, but they also need positive adult relationships and mentoring programs like next steps.
6:26:08
Many youths will never make it to an educational vocational opportunity without the assistance of credible messengers.
6:26:15
At a time when young people are in crisis and under attack, we should be removing services from the youth programming, and we need the city to invest in young people and communities to support them.
6:26:26
I wanna thank the Department of Probation for reinstating AIM Light program known as non ATP and acknowledging the value of connecting every high risk young person ages 13 to 18.
6:26:39
Regarding the petting request for proposals for AIM work plus programs, while we have heard from the DLP that these contracts will be extended for one more year, the RFPs will be released next year.
6:26:53
Providers want to ensure that the funding for the RRSPs are included in the fiscal twenty twenty six, fiscal budget.
6:27:01
As a part of the Youth Justice Coalition, a group of 20 DOP contractors, Good Shepherd signed a letter which sent to commissioner Holmes expressing a concern regarding department of probation's request for information and documentation for several weeks.
6:27:15
We're committed to providing the department with information that demonstrates the value and impact of vital programming in the community.
Sharon Brown
6:27:22
However Your time has expired.
6:27:24
Thank you.
Roy Waterman
6:27:25
Thanks.
6:27:26
Consideration provides the nature required to ensure.
6:27:29
We look forward to continue to work with the council and DOP's data needs.
6:27:34
Thank you for again for this testimony today.