Training and Fieldwork:

The UCLA Juvenile Justice and Reentry Project is committed to applying research and best practices to work on the ground with young people in the Los Angeles area.  The mission of the training and fieldwork component is to improve the quality of life for reentry youth and families through the development and testing of interventions that address youths’ needs in a comprehensive manner. Our current goals are as follows:

• Implement and evaluate best practice models that support reentry youth and their families. Field projects will conducted in conjunction with community partners and staffed by our MSW interns and field faculty;

• Develop a professional and executive training program in youth services, best practices, program evaluation, reentry, and other key topics to be determined in accordance with community needs;

• Offer stipends to support social work students who are completing their internships in the juvenile justice and reentry fields; and

• Design and implement graduate level juvenile justice practice courses to support students working with the reentry population.

For additional information please go to the For Students page.

UCLA JJRP Competitive Award Recipient

Victoria Perera is a second year graduate student at UCLA Masters of Social Welfare Program.  Victoria received a stipend from the Parson’s grant foundation.  Victoria began her second year internship at the New Visions Foundation.  Victoria will assist in implementing best practice models to support youth reentering the community.   Victoria will also implement an evaluative tool to assess and evaluate the effectiveness of best practice models used.

 
Victoria interned last year for Department of Children and family Services, EASE-IN program.  During her internship last year she applied for a grant from Make Yourself Foundation and received a 6000.00 grant to support the EASE-IN program.  The grant made it possible for EASE-IN foster youth to go on an end of the year outing to Universal Studios. 

Victoria also developed a caregiver curriculum and evaluative tool for the DCFS EASE-IN program.  The DCFS EASE-IN program works to support foster youth make permanent connections and successfully transition to adulthood.  Victoria has excellent analytical skills and applied her skills to develop the curriculum.  Victoria also has excellent verbal and written skills.  She also connected with other caregiver support groups in Los Angeles to support her efforts in developing the curriculum.