Our Story
When California's SB 823 closed state youth prisons and returned thousands of young people to their counties, they needed to be shown what was possible for their futures and given the tools to get there.
Youth RA was built to fulfill that need.
We are a program of the Prison Education Project, which has served over 15,000 incarcerated
and system-impacted individuals since 2011.
We took the foundation of the adult Reintegration Academy and built something designed specifically for youth: a program that meets young people where they are, builds their identity as scholars and leaders, and gives them the navigational tools to access the opportunities that belong to them.
How We've Grown
July 2024 — Launch
10 Youth RA sessions at Pitzer College, Los Angeles
We tested the weekly model, listened to participants, and learned what this population needed.
December 2024 — First Camp
Youth RA Camp, Irvine
Participants stayed on camp grounds, enjoyed outdoor activities and attended life skills workshops, left with laptops and connections they didn't have before.
July 2025 — Second Camp
Youth RA Camp, Irvine
The model deepens. Outcomes strengthen.
September 2025 — Northern California
Regional Partnership Expansion
Youth RA expands through a regional partnership, bringing the model to a new population.
November 2025 — Northern California Session 2
Independent Evaluation Success
Independent evaluation shows 100% of participants reporting increased confidence.
December 2025 — Hawaii Leadership Cohort
Peer Mentorship at Olomana Facility
Alumni from Los Angeles and Sacramento are joined by in-custody youth from Fresno to visit Olomana Youth Correctional Facility, share their experiences with incarcerated youth, and build on their leadership qualities.
Where We're Going
We are building toward a Youth RA experience that exists in every county where young people are coming home to the support to navigate their environments well. We are expanding our training offerings so the model can travel to the educators, case managers, and youth workers who serve this population every day. We are deepening our alumni network so that every young person who comes through Youth RA has a community that stays with them long after the program ends.
Youth RA is a program of the Prison Education Project.
Visit reintegrationacademy.org for adult programming.