Official Site of The State of New Jersey

May 19, 2025

TRENTON – The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the New Jersey Youth Corps (NJYC) with a special event today at Liberty State Park in Jersey City. The event is to be attended by all the statewide programs consisting of over 170 Corpsmembers and site Directors, featuring speakers representing the office of Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, a frequent partner with NJYC programs. 

Since 1985, NJYC has served as a statewide, multiyear program funded by NJDOL, with 11 sites operating in 10 counties and serving about 500 teens and young adults each year. As one of the largest youth service and conservation corps in the United States, NJYC is a year-round, voluntary program that engages teens and young adults ages 16 to 25 without a high school diploma in full-time community service, training, and educational activities. 

Under the Murphy Administration, New Jersey has contributed nearly $45 million in grant funding to ensure NJYC continues to provide essential services and opportunities to young people across the state. Since 2018, the program has enrolled nearly 4,000 Corpsmembers who collectively have contributed well over 400,000 hours of community service to local communities with projects like the installation of a pollinator garden in Shappell Park in Phillipsburg. To date, the program has served more than 28,000 participants who collectively have given back to their communities with over 4.7 million volunteer hours. 

“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. “We are incredibly proud of the program’s accomplishments and its impact on our young people, neighborhoods, and communities around the state. 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.” 

NJYC was created by the “New Jersey Youth Corps Act,” P.L.1984, c.198 (C.9:25-1 et seq.) signed by Governor Thomas H. Kean, and has been instrumental in providing a full-time, cohort-based program that combines classroom instruction with work-based community service learning. The initiative also offers individualized counseling and support services to help Corpsmembers overcome barriers, achieve measurable skill gains, and transition into post-program placements in career pathways. 

NJYC’s structured services are tailored to meet participants where they are and help them identify and resolve personal barriers to success. By focusing on achieving incremental victories, the state’s youth corps builds confidence and readiness in young people that empowers them to pursue and achieve long-term goals, including earning high school diplomas and certifications. 

The transformative impact of NJYC is best illustrated through the stories and voices of its participants. 

Youth Corps of Phillipsburg participant Samir Johnson was named 2024 Youth Corps Network Corpsmember of the Year, an accolade that underscores the profound impact NJYC has had on its members, equipping them with the skills and confidence needed to achieve personal and professional milestones. 

Vivian Lopez of Camden City shares, “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 in my career or in my personal life.” 

Similarly, Jorge Perez, also a Camden City resident, who is now employed by HOVERT Pharmaceuticals, reflects on his experience: “I would be out on the streets if not for New Jersey Youth Corps. Youth Corps made me a better person. For the first time in my life, I felt as though I was involved with something important. It seemed like what I had to give actually mattered to someone, and I got to make a difference in other people’s lives. After I completed the program, the staff encouraged me to keep my job and helped me with difficult situations at work.” 

As a Corpsmember of NJYC of Middlesex County, Geovany Camino earned his high school diploma and successfully completed the NJYC program in June 2024. His achievements positioned him as a candidate for the NJYC Career Advancement Program, where he underwent occupational skills training through the JINGOLI Competitive Edge Program, which he completed earlier this year. Now employed full-time with JINGOLI, Geovany works on the construction site of the New Jersey Health Life Sciences Exchange, also known as HELIX, in New Brunswick. 

Below is a list of all NJYC locations:

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

For more training opportunities for young workers, visit: nj.gov/labor/youngworkers/training/ 

Grants for the implementation of NJYC are awarded through a competitive process. To view all grant opportunities administered by NJDOL, visit: nj.gov/labor/research-info/grants.shtml

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