Working together to drive positive change in youth justice.
WHO WE ARE
The Alliance for Youth Justice (AYJ) brings together over 75 organisations, advocating for and with children to drive positive change in youth justice in England and Wales.
Our members range from large national charities and advocacy organisations, to numerous smaller grassroots and community organisations. We bring together the expertise of our members and provide ways for them to shape decision-making. We work to influence policy, legislation and practice to address issues affecting children caught up in crime.
We advocate for distinct systems, services and support that treat children as children first and foremost - underpinned by social justice, children’s rights and a focus on positive long-term outcomes. We aim to promote widespread understanding about the underlying causes of children coming to the attention of the criminal justice system, and champion approaches that enable them to reach their full potential.
AYJ CORNERSTONES
OUR PRINCIPLES
Our work is underpinned by principles of social justice and children’s rights.
YOUTH VOICE
We value the meaningful participation of young people and the expertise they bring to our work.
RESEARCH & EVIDENCE
We are informed by research, evidence and links to the academic community.
PRACTICE EXPERTISE
Our work is embedded in the diverse expertise of our member organisations across practice, policy and advocacy.
WHAT WE DO
ENGAGEMENT & IMPACT
PROJECTS
PUBLICATIONS
“The AYJ puts the needs and voices of young people in the youth justice system on a national platform.”
– 1625 Independent People
“The AYJ is proactive in challenging systems and policies that could be harmful to young people within the criminal justice system and society.”
– Reach Every Generation
“The wide representation of organisations with different expertise which are feeding into AYJ positions provide breadth but also specialist knowledge.”
– Catch22
“With the AYJ we can share policy asks and are able to work collaboratively to press for change.”
– Just for Kids Law
“The AYJ supports our strategic objective to influence public policy and practice through its work to convene voluntary sector organisations to advocate, campaign and share the views of the children and young people we collectively support.”
– Khulisa
“The AYJ brings together expert knowledge from a wide variety of respected organisations, which adds weight to any influencing work.”
– AYJ member organisation
LATEST NEWS
MEMBERSHIP
Does your organisation work with, or on behalf of, children and young people?
Would you like to collaborate with other organisations, sharing expertise to help bring about positive change in youth justice?
At the AYJ we are always looking out for new members to join our alliance and work with us to improve youth justice in England and Wales. Find out more about the benefits of AYJ membership below.