Day One of New York

Direct Services - Day One provides counseling and case management as well as legal advice and direct representation to young people, aged 24 and under. We specialize in meeting the unique challenges of teens leaving abusive relationships, such as designing a safety plan specific to a school setting or providing assistance for young adults in need of public benefits or housing. An attorney might help a teen transfer to another school to escape her abuser or connect a student with shelter or immigration assistance. Day One helps clients obtain criminal and family court orders of protection and related orders for custody, visitation, and child support. Over 7,500 youth have received direct services from Day One's Relationship Abuse Prevention Program (RAPP). Through RAPP, licensed social workers are embedded in New York City high schools where they deliver prevention and intervention programs. RAPP Coordinators design and deliver workshops that raise awareness and help prevent dating abuse among youth. They also provide counseling and direct assistance to young people who have experienced intimate partner violence.

Leadership Development - In year-round youth development programs, Day One builds leadership and advocacy capacity among middle and high school students. Participants learn to support their peers while building transferable job skills. During the summer, Peer Leadership Institute, after-school leadership programs, and youth advisory board, about 75 youth per year partner with Day One and receive stipends for youth development activities.

Training and Education - Day One's preventive program uses role-plays and interactive tools to educate youth and train adults to respond to gender-based violence. Presentations in schools, youth programs, and foster care facilities teach teens how to examine controlling behavior and gender dynamics that could lead to relationship abuse. We also train young people about exercising their rights and responsibilities under the law. Preventive programs take place in schools and community-based settings. Day One also builds skills among adults such as faculty, parents, law enforcement, child protective workers, and social service providers to identify the risk factors and offers supportive guidance to young people. Day One has educated more than 250,000 people since 2003.