Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP)

The Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program (RAMP) will enhance the delivery of high-tech, career-focused mentoring to youth with disabilities age 17 and younger at risk of court involvement by formalizing all six core standards of mentoring practice, strengthening training (for mentors, youth, and communities), and promoting family engagement. RAMP will work with existing sites to identify effective strategies across the varied sites and create standards of practice for all seven sites located in seven states (California, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington). These sites represent rural and urban communities with high poverty, high disability, low graduation, or high unemployment rates. All sites will use existing Community School partnerships, rural education network, and community-driven approaches to reach a wider diversity of youth to enroll youth with physical, mental health, and developmental disabilities, including immigrant and refugee youth with disabilities. RAMP, led by the Institute for Educational Leadership, utilizes the Guideposts for Success for Youth in the Juvenile Justice System framework, Paving the Way to Work mentoring guide, and lessons learned from early implementation to provide one-to-one, peer, and group mentoring. RAMP utilizes one-on-one meetings, individualized plans, peer-supported goal-setting sessions, and weekly career-focused group meetings. During this initiative, RAMP sites will enhance employer partnership development to increase the number of career exploration and employment opportunities for enrolled youth, build the capacity of youth in civic engagement, relationship-building, boundaries, career development, and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, and continue to expand family engagement efforts. RAMP will increase the number of youth matched with trained mentors, youth remaining in school, avoiding arrest, and developing transition plans for work and postsecondary education. Short-term and intermediate outcomes will be documented by the number of mentors recruited, trained, and matched; the number of youth with disabilities recruited, matched, and completing career exploration activities and interest assessments; the number of individualized mentoring plans completed and individual goals met; the number, participation, and quality of trainings; the number of family members contacted and actively engaged in program events; and the number of youth remaining in school and avoiding arrest or recidivism. No research will be conducted.