The Empowering Youth Justice Outreach (EYJO) project is an innovative youth-led initiative aimed at raising awareness about issues faced by young people exposed to the criminal legal system.
This impactful program is made possible through a collaborative funding effort: a grant awarded with federal funds from the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to the Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ), additional support from the King County Executive office, all to be administered by Harborview Injury Prevention and Research Center at the University of Washington. The project is part of the National Youth Justice Action Month (YJAM)!
During Youth Justice Action Month, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s (OJJDP) joins the National Youth Justice Network (NYJN) and Coalition for Juvenile Justice (CJJ) to raise awareness and educate the public about the impact of the justice system on children. The theme is “YOUth Are Worth It” The YJAM theme gives impacted youth, families and allies an opportunity to collectively imagine new possibilities for systems of support, healing and restorative justice—particularly within local communities around the country.
The HIPRC EYJO project, will engage six young participants, equipping them with advocacy and media creation skills to amplify their voices and drive meaningful change. The youth advocates will collaborate on a social media campaign—creating YouTube videos, TikTok content, or podcasts—to educate the public on the pressing issues affecting youth involved with the justice system.
Through this hands-on experience, participants will not only increase their knowledge about youth legal issues but also gain valuable skills in communication, advocacy, and digital media production. The project aims to amplify youth voices, promote understanding, and ultimately contribute to positive changes in how communities support young people impacted by the legal system. EYJO represents a multifaceted collaborative effort to empower youth as agents of change in addressing issues that impact their wellbeing.
The Harborview Injury Prevention & Research Center gratefully acknowledges the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention, for allowing us to reproduce, in part or in whole, The Youth Justice Action Month logo. The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this video are those of the speaker(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice.