Big Brothers Big Sister of Metro Atlanta will hold a roundtable panel, Igniting Potential: Youth Mentoring as a Solution to Juvenile Justice Offending, to discuss how mentorship can have a positive impact on youth who are at risk of entering the juvenile justice system.
According to a press release, panelists include:
Chief Erika Shields: Chief of Police, Atlanta Police Department
Judge Juliette W. Scales: Fulton County Juvenile Court
Stephen Green: Superintendent, DeKalb County Public Schools
Jennifer Stolarski: Chief Assistant District Attorney, DeKalb County
“We are very excited to host a panel on this important topic,” said Kwame Johnson, BBBSMA President and CEO. “In 2018, 97% of the children in our program avoided the juvenile justice system and we believe the work we’re doing can benefit the lives of youth across the metro Atlanta area. I think it will be invaluable to hear from these prominent public officials.”
Since 2012, with the support of The Marcus Foundation, BBBSMA has served more than 2,000 children with parents and guardians who have been incarcerated. These young people have a high risk for involvement in the juvenile justice system, but when matched in one-to-one mentoring relationships, more than 97% avoid the system. The agency is building on this work in 2020 by launching a new partnership with the Fulton County Juvenile Court, to match court-involved youth who have committed minor offenses in one-to-one mentoring relationships.
The panel will be moderated by Frank Fernandez, Senior Vice President at The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation. The event will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 29 at the Big Brothers Big Sisters office, 1382 Peachtree Street NE, Atlanta,. Doors open at 5 p.m. and the panel begins at 6 p.m. Refreshments will be provided.
Information: www.bbbsatl.org
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