Barbara Kuuskvere
Why I Serve
I have been volunteering with the NAB for five years, and I always leave feeling good about the fact that I can directly impact a youth’s life and help reinforce or redirect them toward good decision-making skills. It’s extremely rewarding.
How I Serve
I volunteer on the NAB because it’s a meaningful way to have a direct impact on youth. I meet with a minor juvenile offender and the youth’s parents as an alternative to their being involved in the formal Juvenile Court system. I review the police report, talk to the youth about his/her life, goals, challenges, and many other facets of life, and then create a Diversion Agreement, which is a legally binding document. I may assign counseling, classes, community service, essays or letter of apology, pro-social activities, drug testing, or other activities which I think would help the youth make better decisions in the future. The goal of the program is to hold the youngster accountable for his/her behavior.