The Center for Community Engagement coordinates relevant and focused college-community collaborations that provide TCNJ faculty, staff, and students opportunities to work on long-term, community-based projects that build on and contribute to academic knowledge.
Capital City Youth Violence Coalition (CCYVC)
TCNJ’s Center for Community Engagement has facilitated CCYVC (formerly the Trenton Prevention Policy Board) since 2011. Started in 2009, CCYVC’s mission is to make and implement policy, program, and practice recommendations to promote positive youth development and prevent juvenile delinquency in the City of Trenton. TCNJ’s and the Center’s role has been to serve as facilitators of CCYVC as the “backbone organization” that coordinates diffuse efforts around youth-related issues. CCYVC has involved students, faculty members, and staff members throughout its operations. As part of the state-wide Municipal Planning Board initiative from the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office of Community Justice, CCYVC is one of 8 youth-focused policy boards supported by higher education institutions in communities throughout New Jersey. For more information, visit CCYVC’s website and Facebook page. To learn more about CCYVC, contact Brittany Aydelotte at brittany.aydelotte@tcnj.edu or 609-771-2481.
Connect Trenton
Aligning with Trenton Public Schools’ “Every Day Matters” campaign, Connect Trenton serves as a referral source and connection point for out-of-school youth services for students at Trenton’s Ninth Grade Academy (TNGA). Its goals are to promote student attendance, academic achievement, and safety while providing support to school staff and creating an access point to community partners. For more information, visit Connect Trenton’s website. Connect Trenton is a collaborative partnership between TCNJ’s Capital City Youth Violence Coalition, Trenton Public Schools, and the All Kids Thrive Initiative of the Princeton Area Community Foundation. AKT’s goal is to strengthen and insulate the educational pipeline so “All Kids Thrive from Birth to 25.” To learn more about Connect Trenton, contact Luke Thompson at luke.thompson@tcnj.edu or 609-771-2656.
Mercer County Reentry Task Force
The Mercer County Reentry Task Force is a group that aims to build a safer and more just Mercer County through advocacy, awareness building, and collaborative action. The Task Force’s vision is that individuals returning home from the correctional system will have the resources, guidance, and support to break the cycle of crime, achieve personal fulfillment, and strengthen their communities. The College of New Jersey connects student interns to the group who provide research and administrative support while earning academic credit. Find more information on their website and their Facebook page.