For many young people in New Hampshire, involvement with the juvenile justice system does not begin with a single incident. It is often the result of overlapping circumstances, such as housing instability, family conflict, disrupted education, and unresolved trauma, which create additional challenges when navigating school, work, and daily life.
At MY TURN, a nonprofit organization serving youth and young adults across the Granite State, the response to this complexity is not built around punishment or rigid programming. Instead, it’s about meeting young people where they are and building them up from there. The New Hampshire Center for Justice & Equity spoke with Allison Joseph, the organization’s Executive Director, about its holistic approach to youth development.
From Workforce Development to Whole-Person Support
Founded in 1984, MY TURN began as a school-to-career program designed to support students who were not on a traditional college track. Over time, the organization evolved in response to the variety of needs of the young people it serves. “We’ve always worked with young people who had barriers,” Joseph said. “Our growth has really just been about asking: what’s missing, and how can we fill that gap?”
“We’ve always worked with young people who had barriers. Our growth has really just been about asking: what’s missing, and how can we fill that gap?”
— Allison Joseph
Today, MY TURN operates approximately 20 programs across New Hampshire and Massachusetts, serving nearly 2,000 individuals each year. Its work spans in-school and community-based career readiness programs, adult education, including High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) and General Education Development (GED) preparation, education services within residential facilities like the Sununu Youth Services Center (SYSC), violence prevention, outreach programs, and case management for Young Adult Court participants.
Across all programs, MY TURN’s approach combines education, employment, and individualized support to help young people build stable, self-sufficient futures. “Academics and employment are essential, but we want to make sure they’re truly supported, building strong pro-social networks, and identifying a passion that gives them direction and purpose,” Joseph said.
“Academics and employment are essential, but we want to make sure they’re truly supported, building strong pro-social networks, and identifying a passion that gives them direction and purpose” — Allison Joseph
A Critical Role in the Juvenile Justice Continuum
Within New Hampshire’s juvenile justice landscape, MY TURN operates both as a referral partner and a parallel support system. Many participants are referred to MY TURN through diversion programs, probation services, or the court, while others arrive independently.
“We’re often the preferred educational provider for young people involved in the court system because we’re not rigid,” Joseph said. “They don’t have to fit into a regular school day if that’s not working for them.”
This flexibility is transformative for youth who have been suspended, expelled, or otherwise disconnected from school. MY TURN creates alternative pathways that allow young people to continue progressing academically, such as credit recovery, HiSET programs, or individualized learning plans.
Centering Youth Voice in Court Proceedings
MY TURN’s work extends far beyond education and career-oriented programming. Staff frequently accompany young people to court, help families navigate complex systems, and provide support for basic needs like transportation and access to food.
“Court is a very complicated process,” Joseph said. “A lot of times, young people, and their parents, don’t really understand what they’re agreeing to. We’re there to translate legal terminology, to support, and to make sure the plan actually works for them.”
This advocacy is particularly important in a system where decisions can have long-term consequences. By helping youth approach court with a clear plan, whether that is education, employment, or a diversion program, MY TURN can influence outcomes in ways that keep young people on more stable paths.
“Even when we’re working with Young Adult Court or referrals from law enforcement, our focus is always on what the young person wants,” Joseph said. “If they want A, B, and C, I’m going to advocate for what works for them, not just what the system thinks they should do.”
“Our focus is always on what the young person wants. If they want A, B, and C, I’m going to advocate for what works for them, not just what the system thinks they should do.” — Allison Joseph, Redefining Success for Vulnerable Youth
The young people MY TURN serves are often navigating vulnerable circumstances, including housing instability and homelessness, unsafe or unstable home environments, court involvement, school disengagement, living with disabilities, pregnancy or early parenthood, or navigating the school system as immigrants and English language learners.
“Imagine being 15 and trying to figure out where you’re sleeping tonight, or how to keep your parents from getting arrested,” Joseph said. “We’re very aware of what our young people are carrying.”
These realities shape how MY TURN defines success. Progress may not always look like immediate academic achievement or employment. Sometimes, it means showing up and building trust.
“If someone comes in and it’s just not the day to focus on schoolwork, we don’t treat that as noncompliance. If you’ve had a bad day, let’s talk about it. And if you don’t want to talk, you can just sit here, have something to eat, breathe, and know you’re in a safe place,” Joseph said.
“Imagine being 15 and trying to figure out where you’re sleeping tonight, or how to keep your parents from getting arrested. We’re very aware of what our young people are carrying.” — Allison Joseph, Measurable Impact and Ongoing Challenges
Despite these challenges, MY TURN reports strong outcomes. In Manchester, its school-based programs achieved a 100% graduation rate last year. Its adult education program, which receives a small share of statewide funding, produces a disproportionate share of HiSET and GED graduates.
The organization has also played a role in violence prevention efforts. With referrals from local law enforcement and through partnerships with community organizations, MY TURN helped engage young people identified as being at high risk of involvement in gun violence, contributing to a decline in incidents in Manchester in recent years.
Still, Joseph argues the greatest impact comes before court involvement. “There’s tremendous value in keeping somebody out of the system entirely,” she said. Too often, she noted, services are only available once youth are already in crisis. Investing earlier in housing stability, education continuity, and prevention would improve outcomes and reduce long-term impacts for families and the state alike.
“There’s tremendous value in keeping somebody out of the system entirely.”
— Allison Joseph, Supporting Flexible, Community-Based Solutions
The work of MY TURN is complex and resource-intensive. Community members and businesses can make a measurable difference by offering internships and entry-level job placements, mentorship, or training opportunities. Policymakers too can play a role by ensuring reliable public funding so that programs are not forced to rely on short-term grants. Philanthropic support and donations are also critical to maintaining continuity for youth who are rebuilding their academic and employment pathway and who depend on stable resources.
As New Hampshire continues to rethink its juvenile justice system, supporting organizations like MY TURN highlight the value of flexible, community-based approaches that center young people’s needs, lived experiences, and goals, to set them up for long-term stability, self-sufficiency, and success.
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