Every single program at Middle Earth offers community service – it is that important. We believe that the opportunity to help others is critical to helping a teen develop into a responsible adult. Volunteerism provides youth with an awareness of the needs of others and a sense of personal responsibility to contribute to the larger community. Research shows that teens who volunteer:

• perform better in school,
• are more able to adapt and be flexible,
• are less likely to engage in risky behaviors (drinking, drugs, sex, crime, etc.),
• gain skills and experience that colleges and employers value, and
• feel a responsibility to their community.

Examples of volunteer opportunities we have offered to our youth include:

• cleaning local parks;
• helping at community events;
• collecting donations for charities; and
• harvesting fresh vegetables to donate to the local food bank.

While all of our programs encourage volunteerism, we do offer one program that offers mandated community service:

Station House Adjustment Program

The Station House Adjustment (SHA) Program provides mandatory community service to first-time offenders who commit minor (petty) offenses, as a consequence for their behavior. Community service activities are always supervised and conducted within local communities, usually on Saturdays between 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. 

The goal of this intervention is to teach teens to take responsibility for their actions and deter youth from continuing their negative behavior and progressing further into the juvenile justice system. Over ninety percent of SHA participants do not re-offend.

Staff identifies the needs of the youth and his/her family and provides additional support services, if appropriate. To participate in the program, youth cannot have any prior arrests or be on Probation and must be a Somerset County resident between the ages of 9 and 18.

Funding has been provided in part by the Somerset County Board of Commissioners.