Wayne County program for at-risk youth in Detroit is 'Moving Forward'

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A new program is giving Detroit’s most at-risk youth one last shot at turning their lives around before they end up in jail - or worse.

"In Wayne County, we have over 1,000 system-involved kids," said Melissa Fernandez, director of Wayne County Juvenile Youth Services.

The backstory:

Children and their parents are both desperate for change, and the those behind the Moving Forward program says it offers the lifeline they need.

"I've never been to JDF," said Da'Karri Porter. "That was my first time going. I wasn’t realizing how much trouble I could be in for doing what I was doing."

Kendra Huffman feared her son would either end up sitting in a cell for good or sent home in a casket.

"It’s a mother‘s worst fear," said the Moving Forward parent volunteer. "He would turn to marijuana, and I didn’t want that for him, and he was turning to the streets more and more for an outlet.

"I tried everything; reaching out to the police, CPS."

And she’s not alone.

"I think we’re misinformed by thinking parents are the problem, or they don’t care, they don’t want help. they are asking for help," said Melissa Fernandez, director of Wayne County Juvenile Youth Services.

The call for help, led them to Moving Forward, housed in Detroit’s Durfee Innovation Society building.

"Our foundation is restorative practices and so restorative practices is based on relationships," said Bridgette Brown Jackson, program coordinator. "We want to make sure that the young men develop in their leadership. we want to make sure that they don’t have any more contact.

"If they’ve had contact with law-enforcement, we can curb that and stop that, if they’ve been expelled or suspended from school."

The county-backed program is now welcoming its second group of about a dozen young teens- ages 12 to 17 – just like Da’Karri.

"This is a group of people that don’t judge. Like they understand what you’re going through and what you’ve been through," he said. "I feel like I can just be myself you know who I am."

The expelled teen and aspiring engineer is heading back to school with help from a Moving Forward case worker.

"Having somebody that sees your changes like it’s cool," he said. "It’s heartwarming for real, for real."

FOX 2: "You feel seen?"

"Yeah," he said.

One by one, these kids labeled at-risk are finding themselves with critical resources, developmental workshops and even field trips.

"When you provide opportunity, you open the door to connect families with resources. you see the difference that makes," said Quincy Smith, program consultant.

They’ve found a place of love, growth and support - a true safe haven.

"One of them got shot two weeks ago," Brown Jackson said.  "He came still the day he got shot. He came straight here. I don’t care what they’ve done, because everybody can change."

They’ve found a place to call home. 

More: Learn about the Moving Forward program HERE.