NJDOL celebrates 40 Years of the New Jersey Youth Corps

NEW JERSEY – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the New Jersey Youth Corps with a special event Saturday at Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

More than 170 Corpsmembers and site directors from across the state gathered for the event, which featured remarks from representatives of Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop’s office and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection — a long-standing partner of the Youth Corps.

Since its founding in 1985, the New Jersey Youth Corps has operated as a statewide program funded by the Department of Labor. Today, 11 sites in 10 counties serve about 500 teens and young adults annually. The program is one of the largest youth service and conservation corps in the country and offers full-time, year-round volunteer opportunities that combine education, training and community service for participants ages 16 to 25 who have not completed high school.

“For the past four decades, the New Jersey Youth Corps has been a beacon of hope and opportunity for thousands of young people seeking to make a positive change in their lives and communities,” said Labor Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo. “This program demonstrates NJDOL’s commitment to empowering New Jersey youth by providing them with valuable tools and support to help them succeed in their educational and career journeys.”

Under Gov. Phil Murphy’s administration, New Jersey has invested nearly $45 million in grant funding to sustain and expand the program. Since 2018, nearly 4,000 Corpsmembers have enrolled and collectively contributed more than 400,000 hours of community service, including local projects like the installation of a pollinator garden in Shappell Park in Phillipsburg.

In total, the Youth Corps has served more than 28,000 participants who have logged over 4.7 million volunteer hours.

Created under the New Jersey Youth Corps Act signed by Gov. Thomas H. Kean, the program provides a cohort-based model that combines academic instruction with work-based service learning. Participants also receive individualized counseling and career guidance to help them overcome personal barriers and transition into the workforce or higher education.

The program’s success is reflected in the stories of its graduates. Samir Johnson, of the Phillipsburg site, was named the 2024 Youth Corps Network Corpsmember of the Year.

“Had it not been for Youth Corps teaching me how to set goals and develop action plans, I would not be as successful as I am today,” said Vivian Lopez, a graduate from Camden City.

Jorge Perez, also of Camden City and now employed by HOVERT Pharmaceuticals, credited the program with helping him find purpose. “For the first time in my life, I felt as though I was involved with something important,” he said. “It seemed like what I had to give actually mattered to someone.”

Geovany Camino, a Corpsmember from Middlesex County, earned his high school diploma through NJYC and later completed occupational training through the JINGOLI Competitive Edge Program. He is now working full-time on the construction of the HELIX health sciences campus in New Brunswick.

Below is a list of all NJYC locations:

For more information on the New Jersey Youth Corps, click here.