Volunteers of America, Utah's Amplified Mentoring Program

The Amplified Mentoring Program, facilitated by Volunteers of America, Utah, aims to augment mentoring services for youth between the ages of 10 and 17 in Salt Lake County, focusing on those impacted by opioid misuse and drug addiction. With over 25 years of experience in prevention and substance abuse treatment, Volunteers of America, Utah leverages its expertise to address risk factors related to substance misuse and delinquency through proven mentoring strategies. The program will sustain and grow its group and one-to-one mentoring services, employing evidence-based practices to further reduce substance use and juvenile justice involvement among the youth. Currently conducting 40 group mentoring cycles yearly across 16 community sites and supporting 40 individual mentoring pairs, the program is set to expand these offerings. Over the proposed three-year project period, the program aims to serve approximately 1,200 youth and maintain 60 active one-to-one mentoring matches annually by enlisting additional volunteer mentors. Expected outcomes of the program include increased perceptions of social support and a more positive attitude toward schooling among participants. Preliminary data indicate significant improvements in these areas, with notable declines in drug use and enhanced awareness of its risks post-intervention. Adapting and amplifying these mentoring activities aims to reach and benefit more at-risk youth, reinforcing protective factors and mitigating risk behaviors that lead to substance abuse and criminal activities.