Alternatives Inc

Alternatives is a comprehensive, multi-cultural youth development organization that operates as a support system for more than 5,000 of Chicago’s young people and their families each year. We support and work with Chicago youth to build safer and more vibrant communities through a combination of Restorative Justice and Behavioral Health services offered from a trauma-informed, equity lens.

Our mission is to inspire young people to create a just future through practices that heal individuals, restore communities, and transform systems. Alternatives’ programs and services use an asset-based model that focuses on enriching young people’s lives by building upon individual strengths within the context of their family and community. We cultivate restorative frameworks on individual and institutional levels to encourage conflict resolution, repairing harm, and healthy coping skills. Our comprehensive and accessible programs increase young people’s opportunities to succeed and grow as individuals and community members.

Alternatives serves youth between the ages of 10 and 24 and their families citywide through various Chicago public schools and through virtual and in-person services at our office in Washington Park. Our participants reflect the city’s rich diversity: 64% identify as Black, 24% as Latinx, 7% as white, 3% as Asian, and 2% as Multi-Racial. The majority of our participants live on the South and West sides of Chicago, representing 73 of 77 community areas. Recently, we began offering Behavioral Health services in Waukegan.