Proposal to promote the development and expansion of BBBS mentoring services for underserved tribal youth on at least 10 tribal reservations with a focus on culturally appropriate mentoring programs.

The Tribal Youth National Mentoring Program was established to support national initiatives that support the development, maturation, and expansion of community programs that provide mentoring services to tribal youth populations on tribal reservations of federally-recognized tribes across the nation that are underserved due to location, shortage of mentors, emotional or behavioral challenges of the targeted population, or other situations identified by the federally-recognized tribes. This program is authorized by the Department of Defense and Full-Year Continuing Appropriations Act, 2011, Pub. L. 112-110.

The Big Brothers Big Sisters of America (BBBSA) Tribal Community Initiative will pair a minimum of 600 American Indian, Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth with positive adult mentors in one-to-one BBBS mentoring matches to decrease gang activity, reduce alcohol and drug abuse, improve academic performance and parent/guardian relationships and foster a renewed sense of tribal identification for participating youth. School and community setting matches will take place in partnership with at least 10 of the following federally-recognized tribal governments: Connecticut: Mashantucket Pequot Tribe, Mohegan Tribe; Florida: Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Louisiana: Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Nebraska: Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska; Nevada: Reno-Sparks Indian Colony; New Mexico: Pueblo of Zuni, Pueblo of Pojoaque, Pueblo of San Felipe, Pueblo of Santa Clara, Pueblo of Taos, Pueblo of Tesuque; Oklahoma: Chickasaw Nation; Oregon: Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs Reservation;Washington: the Confederated Tribes of the Chehalis Reservation, Muckleshoot Indian Tribe, Cowlitz Indian Tribe, Puyallup Tribe; and Wisconsin: Ho-Chunk Nation. The government structures of these tribes vary from tribal nation to tribal nation. BBBSA will utilize the Information Management System (including the AIM data collection system) to assess the results of this initiative and measure progress towards the stated goals.
CA/NCF