New Opportunities for NCCD and Ravoira, Director of Center for Girls and Young Women

Contact: Erin Hanusa, Communications Officer
(800) 306-6223 | ehanusa@nccdglobal.org

Contact: Erin Hanusa, Communications Officer
(800) 306-6223 | ehanusa@nccdglobal.org

JACKSONVILLE, FL– The National Council on Crime and Delinquency (NCCD) is pleased to announce exciting developments at NCCD’s Center for Girls and Young Women, and applauds the establishment of a new organization in Jacksonville, Florida, that will serve as a national model for community-based programming for girls and young women in the juvenile justice system. 

Based on her years of leadership at NCCD and in many other roles in Florida and nationally, NCCD Center for Girls and Young Women director Dr. Lawanda Ravoira has been selected to lead the launch of the new Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center, a comprehensive community-based model for serving girls and young women in Duval County. 

“This incredible opportunity in Duval County will serve not only the young women and girls in Jacksonville, but also those across the country who will benefit from the development of this strong, community-driven model,” said Alex Busansky , President of NCCD. “While NCCD will miss having Lawanda on staff, we are thrilled that our partnership with her and the Duval County community will continue to grow.”

“I am grateful to NCCD for supporting my work on women and girls over the past four years and honored to have the opportunity to take that to the next level here in Duval County and the surrounding communities through the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center,” Ravoira said, echoing Busansky’s enthusiasm. “The combination of NCCD’s national focus and the new Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center’s local focus provides an unprecedented opportunity for our community and the field nationwide.”

Dr. Sherry Magill, President of the Jessie Ball duPont Fund , which provided start-up funding for the establishment of the NCCD Center for Girls and Young Women, agreed. “It is wonderful to see that resources and expertise are coming together to serve young women and girls in Florida. The launch of the Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center is not just an opportunity for Duval County, but for the entire field.”

The Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center emerges from the leadership of the Justice for Girls: Duval County Initiative Leadership Council, the longtime support of many local and national foundations, and a generous grant from the Community Foundation in Jacksonville.

“I believe strongly that it is critical for our community to serve our girls and young women in a deep and community-wide way, and that this new policy center will do that under the direction of Lawanda Ravoira,” said Weaver. “But we all agree this should just be the first step. I hope that this program will serve as a model for cities and communities nationwide.” 

NCCD’s Center for Girls and Young Women (CGYW) will continue to focus on advocacy, research, assessment services, training, and evaluation to help juvenile justice and child welfare systems meet the needs of girls and young women. The National Girls Institute (NGI) will continue its work to improve national, state, and local responses to girls in the juvenile justice system. Leadership of CGYW will transfer to NCCD’s Oakland, California, office under the direction of Dr. Angela Irvine . Dr. Angela Wolf will assume the role of project director for NGI. The Center will continue to collaborate closely with Dr. Ravoira and other Delores Barr Weaver Policy Center staff, who will consult with NCCD on an ongoing basis on the work of NGI, training and technical support, and research initiatives. 

About the National Girls Institute
Funded by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention , the National Girls Institute seeks to advance the understanding and application of promising and evidence-based, gender-responsive prevention, intervention, treatment, and aftercare programs and services for girls and their families/caregivers with lived experiences in the justice system. NGI develops and provides a broad range of training, technical assistance, and resources to tribal, community, and private organizations that serve girls and young women in or at risk of entering the juvenile justice system. For more information, visit the website at www.nationalgirlsinstitute.org.

About the National Council on Crime and Delinquency
NCCD promotes just and equitable social systems for individuals, families, and communities through research, public policy, and practice. For more information about NCCD, visit www.nccdglobal.org.