Community Service Network

Strong Foundations for Resilient Community Ties We serve, support, and strengthen our communities at the source

Community Service Network

The Community Service Network supports youth committed to the Department of Youth Services (DYS) as they transition from secure treatment facilities back to their home or an alternative placement. The RYI and DYS casework teams are co-located in 4 District Offices located in Dorchester, Roxbury, Roslindale and Chelsea. We work with youth until they “age out” of DYS or end their voluntary services.

Facilitating Smoother Transitions

The Community Service Network is an enhanced model of community service coordination and supervision between the Department of Youth Services and Roxbury Youthworks.  In this model, the goal of a successful partnership is the development of regional Community Services Network teams that effectively combine the DYS regional casework staff and RYI employees together to deliver high quality, culturally responsive services and supports; that build on the strengths of the youth and families served by the Department; and in a manner that produces positive outcomes for DYS youth, their families, and their communities.

The core features of the model include:

  1. Increased contact and engagement with DYS youth by caring, responsible adults

  2. Emphasis on pro social development, building life skills and community connectedness

  3. Family engagement, resource development, service access, and support and supervision

In 2022, DYS developed a new program, Skill Up:

Career, Technical and Workforce Training and Employment Services. The Commonwealth Corporation, a long standing partner to RYI, invited the agency to participate in delivering these services and we now have 2 Career Navigators.  Their role is to help each DYS youth plan out a career path through advice and support by systematically assessing their interests, strengths and needs, advising on career, vocational and job training courses, assisting with resume development and interview preparation, helping youth overcome the barriers preventing them from succeeding in the world of work, directly placing DYS youth in internships, pre-apprenticeships, apprenticeships, supported employment, or permanent employment, and working with the DYS case management team to provide wrap around supports.