Mentoring+ Multistate Mentoring Program

Through the Mentoring+ (M+) project, Youth Collaboratory will address the individual, social, and environmental risk factors that put youth at increased risk for delinquency or victimization and/or are involvement in the juvenile justice system (JJS). Youth Collaboratory will partner with 10 competitively selected M+ Chapters (subrecipients) offering services in 12 states (CA, CT, MI, MN, NM, NY, NC, OK, and WY). M+ improves positive outcomes for youth through quality mentoring services that increase youth's resiliency to individual, social, and environmental risk factors that can lead to juvenile delinquency or victimization. The intended beneficiaries are youth ages 6-17 years (prioritizing youth ages 13-17) who are historically marginalized and at risk or high-risk for delinquency or victimization and/or are involved in JJS. In addition, these youth are impacted by bullying, homelessness, parental incarceration, active military duty, opioids and other drugs, human trafficking and exploitation, the child welfare system, impact of victimization, and living in rural communities. Objectives of this project include expanding direct one-on-one & group mentoring services to 900 youth; providing quality pre-match and on-going training and development to 900 mentors that reflect the youth they serve; and 3) designing enhancement that strengthen protective factors in youth and their families through culturally appropriate research and evidence-based mentoring approaches, strategies, and engagement. Activities include incorporating enhancements into the six core areas of mentoring practice, providing ongoing one-on-one and group community-based mentoring, providing ongoing coaching for staff on enhancements, offer enhanced development opportunities to mentors, provide enhanced monitoring and supports through structured activities, and improve engagement with parents/caregivers through monthly communication/quarterly activities and community resources.