Rock to the Future serves youth who are currently incarcerated and in intervention programs. We use music as a means to support peer relationships through collaboration, heal from trauma through self-expression and original songwriting, build pride and self-efficacy through live-performance, support professional pathways through technical skill development, and suppport the re-entry process into our holistic community locations to support life-long well-being. Our primary partners are the Juvenile Justice Services Center (serving youth in incarceration) and the Juvenile Justice Center - Intensive Prevention Services (serving youth in intervention).
For more than a decade, Rock to the Future has served Philadelphia teens in intervention and re-entry programs. Starting in March 2022, Rock to the Future has provided music programs for youth in incarceration in the Juvenile Justice Services Center. Our program started with 15 students, and quickly grew to 30 youth, and continues to expand. We have the goal of serving all teens in the justice center with consistent, weekly music programs (200+).
Our programs also support the re-entry process for justice-involved youth into our community-based locations located in high-need areas in Philadelphia. We have a counselor on our team to support this process, and who also works with youth to identify and support additional needs such as housing, food, mental and physical health, education, and workforce needs. When we are not able to support needs ourselves, we utilize our strong partnership network to connect youth to critical resources. In addition, the same instructors will work within our JJSC programs and our community-based locations, providing an immediate connection and continued trust.
Through the bridge of music, we are providing pathways to professional careers, mentoring and peer support systems, and connection to life-sustaining resources.
“With the gun violence at an all time high in the city of Philadelphia all help is needed, and “The Rock,” which the residents call it, came in with no hesitation to provide programming. All this good work with no cost. You just don’t find that type of commitment nowadays. Residents can’t wait until programming day to work on new music they are exploring with. Rock to the Future came through for our children.”
— Justice Location Partner