Youth Services

Mission Statement:  To promote responsible behavior in youth by establishing responsibility and accountability for actions through mediation, restitution and community service, and enhance or expand prevention, early intervention or treatment alternatives to assure youth a more positive community environment.

Juvenile Restitution Program

The Lakeshore CAP Juvenile Restitution Program was established for the purpose of holding youth accountable for their criminal acts by paying restitution or performing community services.  It operates in Door and Manitowoc Counties.

Youth are referred to the program by social workers or are court ordered to perform community service or provide restitution.  Program staff help youths meet their restitution responsibility by providing employment readiness skills, assisting them to get and keep jobs, and making payment to their victims.  The program encourages young people to develop good work habits and social skills in the community service or job setting.  Juveniles are supervised by the youth services workers and the employers to assure a successful job experience.  Seventy-five percent of their earnings go to pay for property damages or losses caused by their actions and the offender is allowed to keep the remaining twenty-five percent for personal use.

Victim/Offender Mediation Program

The Victim/Offender Mediation Program in Manitowoc County arranges for face-to-face meetings between youthful offenders and their victims.  Victims are given the chance to ask questions about the offense, to express their feelings, and to negotiate a contract for repayment for damages.  The primary focus is to impress upon offenders how their actions have affected the victim and make them personally accountable for their actions.  Referrals to the program come from the Police Department, Human Services Department and Probation and Parole Officers.  Trained volunteer mediators conduct the meeting between the victim(s) and offender(s) who are confronted with the dimensions of their crime and the real effects of their acts on the victims.  If you are interested in becoming a volunteer mediator, please call (920) 686-8708 or send an email.

Youth Mentoring Program- Manitowoc County

The Youth Mentoring Program pairs responsible volunteer adult mentors with youth at-risk of delinquency to encourage a positive and crime-free lifestyle.  The targeted population for this program includes youth between the ages of ten to fifteen who have a history of juvenile justice incidence(s) and anti-social behavior but who are willing to have a mentor involved in their life to help them make positive personal changes.

Volunteer mentors are trained for situations and challenges that they may encounter and on-going training and support are provided.  Mentors commit to spending a year with their match and meet with them on a weekly basis for two to five hours.  If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please call (920) 686-8711 or send an email.

Door County Mentoring Program

Lakeshore CAP partners with the Women's Employment Project in Sturgeon Bay to bring the Door County Mentoring Program to at-risk youth in Door County.  The program targets youth in the juvenile justice system, in foster care, and children at risk of being removed from their home due to family problems, child abuse or neglect. The mentor's goals are to encourage their child to develop self-confidence and to broaden their life experiences while they learn to relate positively to adults.  It is hoped that through a mentor, each child will build trust and experience a sense of stability - something that may be missing from their lives at present.

For more information on the Door County Mentoring Program or to volunteer as a mentor, please contact the Women's Employment Project at (920) 743-7273, extension 118.

Electronic Monitoring/Home Detention

The Electronic Monitoring/Home Detention program serves youth in Manitowoc County between the ages of ten and seventeen who have been court ordered into the program because of an established pattern of delinquent and/or criminal behavior.  The program uses both the electronic ankle bracelet and supervised home detention to monitor youth behavior and return some measure of control to the parents.  Many parents have expressed appreciation for help in setting boundaries and structure for their children.  EM/HD staff can be reached twenty-four hours a day by pager.

Independent Living Skills Program

The Independent Living Skills Program provides education and training in necessary life skills to youth who have been in the Door County Department of Social Services Foster Care Program.  The goal of the program is to help the youth make a successful transition to independent living. 

Targeted skills include:

•	Money management	•	Health	•	Education planning
•	Food management	•	Housekeeping	•	Job seeking skills
•	Personal appearance	•	Transportation	•	Job maintenance skills
•	Emergency and safety	•	Legal skills	•	Interpersonal skills
•	Knowledge of community resources	•	Leisure activities	•	Housing

In addition, the ILS Program works with youth to become more self-reliant, use good judgment, learn critical decision-making skills, and develop a support system for dealing with rough times.

For information on any of the Youth Services programs or volunteer opportunities, please call Lakeshore CAP at (920) 682-3737 or send an email.

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