Volunteers for Youth Justice

What Volunteers for Youth Justice does

Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) is a Shreveport, Louisiana-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit founded in 1981 (originally as the Shreveport Juvenile Justice Program) that delivers a portfolio of community-based programs for children, youth, and families in crisis across Northwest Louisiana. Its core service portfolio spans Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) advocacy for abused and neglected foster children across seven parishes; Families in Need of Services (FINS) diversion; Truancy Assessment Service Center (TASC) for K-5 attendance intervention; Trust-Based Relational Intervention (TBRI) trauma-informed care; Teen Court peer-jury diversion; GEMS & GENTS mentoring; Conflict Resolution programming; the School Resource Center in Caddo Parish elementary schools; and the Family Resource Center serving 10 parishes of Region 8. The Harbor at 3004 Knight Street is a co-located multi-agency resource center bundling mental health, parenting education, child advocacy, and domestic violence counseling alongside VYJ programming.

VYJ is a services organization, not a technology company: its core methodology asset is TBRI — a licensed, attachment-based trauma-informed intervention trademarked by the Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development at TCU. The technology stack supporting operations is third-party SaaS only: Qgiv for donations and program fee payments, RunSignUp for CASA Superhero Run registration, WooCommerce for the program-fee storefront, JotForm for referrals and intake, QuickBase for the TBRI Coach application form, and Network for Good for fundraising campaigns. There is no proprietary software product, no AI/ML component, no API, and no developer-facing platform.

Revenue is generated primarily through donations, foundation grants, government contracts, and special-event fundraising. Direct program fees are nominal ($30-$50 per participant for Teen Court, JumpStart, Conflict Resolution, Stamp Out Shoplifting, Power of Choice, and the Risks of Youth Vaping Workshop). Annual events — Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators (~6,000 attendees, ~50 cooking teams), CASA Superhero Run, CASA Christmas (~400 foster children), and Give for Good — function as both fundraising engines and community-engagement channels. Customer "concentration" in this context is institutional rather than commercial: VYJ depends on a concentrated base of Caddo Parish government agencies (Juvenile Court, School Board, Sheriff, District Attorney, Parish government), the Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services, and a small set of regional foundations (Beaird Foundation, Community Foundation of North Louisiana, Louisiana Bar Foundation, Enterprise Holdings Foundation) for both referrals and funding. Demonstrated program outcomes include Teen Court recidivism below 5% and FINS recidivism of 3% or less, serving as the organization's primary performance evidence.

Name

Volunteers for Youth Justice

Legal name

Volunteers for Youth Justice

Website

https://vyjla.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1981

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Volunteers for Youth Justice is a Shreveport, Louisiana nonprofit delivering CASA foster-child advocacy, FINS, TASC truancy intervention, TBRI trauma-informed care, Teen Court, mentoring, and family resource services to at-risk children, youth, and families across ten northwest Louisiana parishes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth and Family Social Services

NAICS

Child and Youth Services (62411), Individual and Family Services (6241), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth Justice, At-Risk Youth & Violence Prevention Nonprofits (BPAGADAM)

akta.pro secondary industries

Juvenile Justice Education Programs (Detention & Correctional Education) (EDAJAEAB), Youth Mental Health, Counseling & Wellbeing (Education-Linked) Nonprofits (BPAGADAK), Dropout Prevention, Re-Engagement & Truancy Intervention Programs (EDAJAEAD), Wraparound Student Support & Case Management Services (At-Risk K–12) (EDAJAEAJ)

Keywords

• Youth diversion programs
• Court appointed advocacy
• Trauma informed care
• Truancy prevention services
• Family crisis intervention

Headquarters

HQ city

Shreveport

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual and corporate donations collected through website donation portal and direct mail campaigns
2. Special Events Fundraising: Revenue from annual events including Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators, CASA Superhero Run, and Give for Good campaign ($62,383.27 raised in 2024 Give for Good)
3. Program Fees: Fees charged for various youth programs including Teen Court, Conflict Resolution, Stamp Out Shoplifting, and Power of Choice programs ($30-$50 per program)

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Volunteers for Youth Justice delivers a portfolio of community-based programs for children, youth, and families in crisis across northwest Louisiana, including CASA foster-child advocacy, TASC truancy prevention, FINS family crisis intervention, TBRI trauma-informed intervention, juvenile diversion programs (Teen Court, JumpStart, Conflict Resolution), youth mentoring (GEMS & GENTS), the School Resource Center, the Family Resource Center, MCC neighborhood services, and The Harbor co-located resource center. Programs are largely free to participants, with a $30-$50 per-program fee on selected diversion workshops, and are funded primarily through donations, sponsorships, and grants.

Product overview

Volunteers for Youth Justice (VYJ) is a nonprofit organization offering a multi-program portfolio of youth and family services rather than a single software product. The core programs include: CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) for foster child advocacy; TASC (Truancy Assessment Service Center) for K-5 attendance intervention; FINS (Families in Need of Services) for at-risk families; TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) for trauma-informed care; and Youth Programs including GEMS & GENTS mentoring, JumpStart diversion, Teen Court, and Conflict Resolution. These are complemented by the Family Resource Center serving Region 8 parishes, the School Resource Center in Caddo Parish elementary schools, and MCC (My Community Cares) targeting high-need neighborhoods. VYJ also operates The Harbor, a co-located resource center, and runs fundraising events including Battle of the Gumbo Gladiators and CASA Superhero Run. Program fees range from $30-$50 for certain services, with most programs offered free to participants.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• CASA: Court Appointed Special Advocates program providing advocacy for children in the foster care system.
• GEMS & GENTS
• Teen Court
• TASC
• TBRI
• FINS
• MCC
• The Harbor
• JumpStart
• Conflict Resolution Program

Products and services

• CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocates) Court Appointed Special Advocate program that recruits and trains community volunteers to serve as advocates for children in the foster care system due to abuse and neglect, representing their best interests in court and supporting permanent placement.
• TASC (Truancy Assessment Service Center) Prevention program providing early identification and assessment of school absences for children in grades K-5 in Caddo Parish elementary schools, helping families informally and voluntarily resolve chronic absenteeism without court involvement.
• FINS (Families in Need of Services) Court-linked program for families on the verge of crisis due to ungovernable child behavior; FINS officers work with families to secure appropriate services and divert them from formal juvenile court involvement.
• TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) Attachment-based, trauma-informed intervention that uses Empowering Principles for physical needs, Connecting Principles for attachment needs, and Correcting Principles to disarm fear-based behaviors; delivered to vulnerable children and families with TBRI Coach training and practitioner certification.
• Family Resource Center (Region 8) Resource hub serving 10 parishes of Region 8 in northwest Louisiana (Caddo, Bossier, Webster, Claiborne, Bienville, Jackson, DeSoto, Red River, Sabine, Natchitoches) with Kinship Services for family caregivers, Parenting Education, and My Community Cares neighborhood-based services.
• MCC (My Community Cares) Targeted services for families in Caddo Parish neighborhoods with high numbers of children entering foster care; part of Louisiana's initiative spanning Caddo, East Baton Rouge, Livingston, and Rapides parishes, delivering community organizing, family support, and legal assistance for families at or below 187.5% of poverty level.
• GEMS & GENTS Youth Mentoring School-based youth mentoring programs pairing at-risk middle and high school students with positive adult role models; GEMS (Girls Empowered to Move Successfully) addresses factors contributing to female juvenile crime, while GENTS (Gentlemen Excelling and Navigating Towards Success) provides educational workshops, cultural events, and community service opportunities.
• Conflict Resolution Program School-based program delivered in partnership with Caddo Parish School Board addressing dynamics that lead to violent behavior and preventing school fight violations through a 6-week preventative curriculum and one-day classes, at $30 per referral.
• JumpStart Program Diversion program providing educational workshops in a support-group setting for at-risk youth, including Stamp Out Shoplifting (SOS) for theft offenses and Power of Choice (POC), a 6-session series addressing peer pressure, goal-setting, conflict resolution, and substance abuse; fee of $30-$50 per program.
• Teen Court Voluntary diversion option for first-time juvenile offenders in which teen defendants are judged by a jury of peers and receive constructive sentences including jury service for future cases; program reports a less than 5% recidivism rate among participants.
• School Resource Center (SRC) In-school support program that places Connection Facilitators, Conflict Resolution Coordinators, and TASC Attendance Specialists in Caddo Parish elementary schools to reduce barriers to classroom attendance using TBRI principles; currently serves four elementary campuses.
• The Harbor Co-located multi-agency resource center housing mental health services, parenting education, child advocacy, and domestic violence counseling alongside VYJ programming, including The Calming Studio sensory space; located at 3004 Knight Street, Building 6, Shreveport, LA 71105.
• Youth Empowerment Center (YEC) Diversion center for juveniles involved in misdemeanor offenses, offering legal, educational, and emotional support to address underlying issues that contribute to juvenile involvement in the justice system.

Quantifiable outcome

• Teen Court recidivism rate reduced to less than 5%
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Feature1 record

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• First Presbyterian Church (Shreveport)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1981Founding partner whose members (Carolyn Beaird, Marjorie Winkler, Lea Johnson, Babs Roggero) established VYJ after attending a justice workshop. Church provided initial leadership and support to launch the organization.
• Community Foundation of North LouisianacoreOthersCommunity foundation partner supporting nonprofit organizations in northwest Louisiana. Listed as a community partner on VYJ's partners page.
• Wells PersonnelminorOthersPersonnel/staffing company listed as community partner.
• Caddo Parish District AttorneycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDistrict attorney's office works with VYJ on court programs including FINS and Teen Court diversion initiatives.
• Caddo Parish School BoardcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner school district providing access for programs including Conflict Resolution, TASC, School Resource Center, GEMS/GENTS mentoring, and JumpStart diversion programs.
• Louisiana Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner for child welfare referrals, My Community Cares program coordination, and Family Resource Center services in Region 8.
• Louisiana Bar FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLegal foundation providing MCC Legal program support for civil and legal aid services for low-income families referred through VYJ.
• WK ConstitutionminorOthersCommunity partner listed on VYJ's partners page.
• Patterson ResolutionminorOthersResolution/conflict management services partner.
• Caddo Parish Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLaw enforcement partner working with VYJ on juvenile diversion and court programs.
• The PearlminorOthersCommunity partner/business listed on VYJ's partners page.
• Caddo ParishcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParish government partner supporting VYJ programs and operations.
• FranksminorOthersLocal business partner listed on VYJ's partners page.
• City of ShreveportcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity government partner supporting community programs and hosting events like Gumbo Gladiators at Festival Plaza.
• ThriftyminorOthersLocal retail business partner listed on VYJ's partners page.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National CASA Association: National umbrella organization for Court Appointed Special Advocates programs. VYJ operates as an affiliate CASA program serving 7 parishes in Louisiana; National CASA sets the training, standards, and policy framework with which VYJ must comply.
• Louisiana CASA Association: State-level CASA network coordinating local CASA programs across Louisiana's parishes. VYJ is a member CASA program operating in Caddo, Bossier, DeSoto, Webster, Bienville, Claiborne, and Jackson parishes, directly comparable in mission and delivery model.
• Communities In Schools of Northwest Louisiana: Affiliate of the national Communities In Schools network providing school-based case management and wraparound supports to at-risk students. Operates in the same Shreveport/Caddo Parish geography as VYJ's School Resource Center and TASC programs, addressing overlapping student populations.
• Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwest Louisiana: Local Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate providing youth mentoring in the same northwest Louisiana geography as VYJ's GEMS & GENTS programs. Both organizations recruit community volunteers to mentor at-risk youth through school- and community-based models.

Broad incumbents

• Youth Villages: Large national nonprofit providing intensive in-home services, residential programs, and juvenile justice intervention across multiple states. Comparable to VYJ's FINS and intervention programs but operates at significantly larger scale with broader service lines.
• Eckerd Connects: National nonprofit delivering child welfare, juvenile justice, and workforce programs across multiple states. Provides comparable family preservation and juvenile diversion services to VYJ's FINS and CASA programs but at significantly larger operational scale.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of North Louisiana: Regional Boys & Girls Clubs affiliate providing after-school and youth development programming in the Shreveport area. Comparable target population (at-risk youth) and overlapping school-based service delivery with VYJ's programs.
• National Youth Advocate Program (NYAP): National nonprofit providing community-based behavioral health, child welfare, and juvenile justice services. Operates comparable wraparound family preservation and youth diversion programs to VYJ's FINS and CASA services across multiple states.

Regional players

• The Calcasieu Parish Children's Trust / Caddo Community Foundation: Community foundation and child welfare funder operating in the same northwest Louisiana geography as VYJ. Provides grant funding that supports VYJ's programs and is therefore a key ecosystem partner with overlapping regional focus.

Others

• Karyn Purvis Institute of Child Development (TCU): Academic institute at Texas Christian University that developed TBRI and licenses VYJ to deliver TBRI training. Functions as VYJ's methodology licensor and a strategic upstream partner for its trauma-informed care delivery.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/vyj_casa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/volunteers-for-youth-justice

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Volunteers for Youth Justice