AZ STARS Mentoring Enhancement Project

This demonstration program will support collaborations of qualified, established mentoring program sites to incorporate advocacy or teaching functions into mentors' roles through (1) matching youth and mentors based on needs, skills, experiences, and interests; (2) initial and ongoing training for mentors; and (3) ongoing mentor support.

Non-profit Pima Prevention Partnership (PPP) will lead the AZ STARS Collaboration in implementing enhanced mentoring services at three well-established Arizona Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) sites. Enhancements will augment existing evidence-based BBBS services for youth ages 11-15 using a research design yielding data from 40 intervention and 40 comparison matches at each site/year for three years (80 matches/site/year). Co-applicant 1: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson (49 years). Co-applicant 2: Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters (41years); and Co-applicant 3: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Arizona (15 years).

AZ STARS will integrate teaching and advocacy functions into the roles of randomly assigned mentors in the three intervention groups. Enhancements will include initial in-person and ongoing online mentor training using a youth resilience framework; augmented 1:1, group and social networking mentor support for the match duration; and support in undertaking at least 4 mentee service learning activities throughout the year. Proposed enhancements will give mentors tools to help youth develop healthy bonding, relationships and beliefs, and clear standards. The project will participate fully in the national cross-sire evaluation with the PPP in the lead coordination role.

CA/NCF

This demonstration program will support collaborations of qualified, established mentoring program sites to incorporate advocacy or teaching functions into mentors' roles through (1) matching youth and mentors based on needs, skills, experiences, and interests; (2) initial and ongoing training for mentors; and (3) ongoing mentor support.

The non-profit Pima Prevention Partnership (PPP) will lead the AZ STARS Collaboration in implementing enhanced mentoring services at three well-established Arizona Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) sites. These sites include: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Tucson, Yavapai Big Brothers Big Sisters, and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northeastern Arizona. Enhancements will augment existing evidence-based BBBS services for youth ages 11-15 using a research design yielding data from 40 intervention and 40 comparison matches at each site per year for three years (80 matches/site/year). AZ STARS will integrate teaching and advocacy functions into the roles of randomly assigned mentors in the three intervention groups. Enhancements will include initial in-person and ongoing online mentor training using a youth resilience framework; augmented 1:1, group and social networking mentor support for the match duration; and support in undertaking at least 4 mentee service learning activities throughout the year. Proposed enhancements will give mentors tools to help youth develop healthy bonding, relationships and beliefs, and clear standards. The project will participate fully in the national cross-site evaluation with the PPP in the lead coordination role.

NCA/NCF