Andrew Mills

Background

About Andrew Mills

I graduated cum laude in 2016 from the University of Southern Maine with a BS in criminology. During my senior year I interned with the Restorative Justice Institute of Maine. A majority of my work involved sitting in on meetings, and doing research on a number of topic related to restorative justice, and I was able to attend a few restorative conferences with youth. My time with RJIME opened the door to new possibilities and interests for my future, such as working with at-risk youth and in the restorative justice field. Before graduating, I worked jobs in food production, delivery, event seup, and customer service, which all taught me important skills needed for every job, and also helped build my strong work ethic. A few months after graduating from USM, I began working for Learning Works, based in Portland, Maine. My position was the Service Works Coordinator for York County. The Service Works program works with at-risk youth who have commited a crime or school violation using community service as an alternative to court, jail time, or suspension and expulsion. I built relationships with area organizations, coordinated projects with them, and worked on the projects with 3-5 youth at a time. Working with the at-risk population, and in the field of restorative justice has become a passion of mine as I want to be able to help youth understand that making a mistake does not define them and that they have such great potential. My professional experiences have taught me to keep trying new things and continue learning as it is important to be well-rounded.