Girls Inc. Group Mentoring Project

This solicitation invites eligible applicants to propose the enhancement or expansion of initiatives that will assist in the development and maturity of community programs to provide mentoring services to high-risk populations that are underserved due to location, shortage of mentors, special physical or mental challenges of the targeted population, or other analogous situations identified by the community in need of mentoring services. This program is authorized under the Department of Justice Appropriations Act, 2010 (Pub. L. 111-117).

Girls, Inc., will implement a comprehensive training program which will prepare local organizations to provide effective group mentoring as part of their regular programming, in a positive and supportive environment that will increase the social competence of participants. The proposed project will emphasize group mentoring skills and techniques as a means to reduce risky behavior and increase the occurrences of positive youth behavior. The project will work with eight affiliated organizations to reduce the occurrences of antisocial behaviors and increase the occurrences of evidenced positive youth development behaviors in participating girls ages 11-15, through group mentoring conducted by trained mentors. Staff will work with girls to develop critical interactive skills related to social competence, social behaviors, and decision-making. Participating affiliates will report quarterly on their progress toward project objectives. This process will allow them to evaluate increases in the number of mentors recruited and trained, youth participants, and changes in youth outcomes over the grant period. Supporting qualitative data will be collected during the reporting periods to highlight programming activities that support the outlined objectives. CA/NCF