The IPE Mentoring Program

OJJDP seeks applicants to establish mentoring programs that offer a mixture of core services and engage youth with activities that enable them to practice healthy behaviors within a positive pro-social peer group. The target population should be youth at risk of gang activity, delinquency, and youth violence. This program should develop and strengthen protective factors against gang involvement and other problem behaviors. It can be based in a school or community setting. Successful applicants will include organizations, local school districts, and communities dealing with demonstrated gang problems who are a part of a communitywide strategy to combat gang activity. This initiative is authorized under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2009, Pub. L. 111-8.

Northern Virginia Family Service (NVFS) is proposing to add a mentoring component to an existing short-term gang prevention program serving Northern Virginia youth ages 12 -21 who are at risk for gang involvement or are already gang involved and want to leave. NVFS aims to accomplish the following outcomes, which contribute to the regional long term goal of reducing and preventing gang involvement: (1) 100% of participating mentors will demonstrate an increase in knowledge of the needs of at-risk and gang involved youth and of effective intervention strategies, (2) 100% of trained mentors will implement these strategies effectively, (3) 75% of gang involved youth will demonstrate a reduction in gang participation during the course of mentor program involvement, (4) 75% of participants will improve school performance (attendance, grades and behavior in school, (5) 90% of participants will increase their involvement in pro-social activities; and 6) 90% of participants will demonstrate an increase in the quality of relationships with adults, parents and peers. NVFS will use established best practice methods of data collection and program evaluation, including the use of program and client databases, benchmarking, and participant feedback to ensure that program goals, objectives, and outcomes are met in an effective, efficient, and timely manner. CA/NCF