Trenton Re-engagement Center

The Trenton Re-engagement Center, located at 10 Wood St, is a one-stop support center to re-engage and invest in Trenton’s youth. Staff work individually with youth ages 16 to 24 who have left the public school system to develop plans for their future education and training and connect them with the resources and opportunities to help meet their goals. Staff also offer guidance and support to youth along the way, following up regularly to assist throughout the process and help youth attain long-term success.

OUR SERVICES

The Center partners with school districts, municipalities, and local organizations to help youth obtain a GED or high school diploma, gain technical and vocational skills and certifications, or receive social services that fit their needs.

GED AND HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA

We can connect youth with alternative paths to completing their high school education and work with Isles Youth Institute, Mercer County Community College, and Trenton Public Schools.

VOCATIONAL AND JOB TRAINING

Through our connections with local businesses and organizations, we can provide opportunities for job readiness training and vocational training and certifications.

CASE MANAGEMENT

Center staff work one-on-one with youth to develop individualized plans forward based on their goals, strengths, and unique barriers to success. These plans involve the youth completing their high school education and then moving onto a career opportunity or postsecondary education. We meet with youth and follow up with them regularly to make sure their plan is working and things are going smoothly.

ACCESS TO SOCIAL SERVICES AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Center staff can also help youth access key services and resources from local organizations, acting as a mediator between youth and any other agencies they deal with.

If you’re interested in speaking with our staff about how the Re-engagement Center can help you or someone you know, please fill out the form linked below

OR contact Kimberley Benedith, the Center Manager

[email protected]

609.341.4761

Want to partner with us?

The Challenge

Trenton’s youth face a number of challenges to finishing their high school education, including exposure to violence, experiences with the juvenile justice system, family caretaking responsibilities, and housing and food insecurity. These challenges and a lack of support contribute to the amount of youth disconnected from Trenton’s under-resourced education system and have led to 29% of Trenton’s population lacking a high school diploma. In order to build stronger, more resilient, and more engaged communities in Trenton, this disconnection must be addressed. For the past decade, key stakeholders have sought to establish a re-engagement center that would serve this population and help them access existing resources to find a path forward that works for them.

Why the Trenton Re-engagement Center?

Building on and adapting strategies of successful engagement centers from around the country, the Trenton Reengagement Center works individually with youth who have left the public school system to develop individualized plans for their future education and training, connect them with resources and educational and vocational opportunities to help meet their goals, and follow-up with them to ensure long-term success. The Center also coordinates efforts with school districts, municipalities, police, and local service providers to build a network of support for local youth.

The ultimate goal of the Center is to offer guidance and support that helps youth reach long-term success and increases their confidence in their own ability to achieve their goals. The Trenton Reengagement Center reengages and invests in Trenton’s youth, building a more resilient, informed, and engaged youth and laying the foundation for long-term positive change for the entire Trenton community.