Asian American Pacific Islander Youth Mentorship Program

The OJJDP FY 09 Earmarks Programs further the Department's mission by providing grants, cooperative agreements, and other assistance authorized by the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974, as amended, to organizations identified in the Explanatory Statement Regarding H.R. 1105 (Omnibus Appropriations Act, 2009), 155 Cong. Rec. H1653 (daily ed. Feb. 23, 2009) (statement by Rep. Obey, Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations of the House).

The Union of Pan Asian Communities' Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) High Risk Youth Mentorship Program decreases gang involvement among San Diego AAPI youth, ages 13-18, by increasing self-esteem through a comprehensive mentorship and skills building program. This program partners with law enforcement, San Diego Unified School District, neighborhood collaboratives, San Diego Asian Youth Organization, Mira Mesa Collaborative, Bell Middle School International Club, media, and businesses to achieve program goals through the following three components: 1) Youth Education, Development and Capacity Building; 2) Mentorship Development and Training; and 3) Culturally Competent Resource Development.

The program will do the following: 1) decrease negative contact with law enforcement; 2) increase positive leadership skills; 3) encourage career development; 4) teach life skills and resiliency; 5) raise attendance and positive interactions with schools; 6) raise positive interactions in the community; 7) encourage gang resistance behavior; 8) increase the number of positive adult role models as mentors; and 9) offer culturally competent mentorship.

Performance measures will focus on the activities listed above, as well as, knowledge and skills gained, mentorship activities, an increase in individual youth achievements, and an increase in grades. NCA/NCF