Computer Clubhouse: Project IMPACTS (Increasing Mentor Participation and Commitment to Success)

The Multi-State Mentoring Program provides funding to support established mentoring organizations in their efforts to strengthen and/or expand their existing mentoring activities within local chapters or sub-awardees in five or more states to reduce juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, truancy, and other problem and high-risk behaviors. FY 2014 funding will address the factors that can lead to or serve as a catalyst for delinquency or other problem behaviors in underserved youth, including youth in high-risk environments, children of incarcerated parents and tribal youth. The program is comprised of three categories: Category 1 for organizations implementing one-on-one mentoring programs, Category 2 for Group mentoring programs and Category 3 for a combination of both one-on-one and group mentoring.

The Museum of Science will enhance Project IMPACTS, a mentoring program that provides a safe, creative out-of-school learning environment where youth from underserved communities work with adult mentors to explore their own interests, develop skills, and build self-confidence through technology. Founded in 1993, the program reaches 11,000 youth in 54 community centers, youth agencies, and social service organizations across the country. The program will implement a group mentoring model, providing youth with guidance and support regarding academics, careers, interpersonal issues and plans for the future. Project IMPACTS aims to: foster long-term mentoring relationships between adults and youth; increase academic engagement and school completion among youth, while building STEM career interest; increase positive behavior choices; build a community of practice devoted to mentoring; and increase the number of mentors affiliated with the program. Through IMPACTS, staff will develop and update program materials; provide training to support mentor practices; partner with national organizations; and provide pass-through funding to increase mentor effectiveness in several state sites in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Virginia. Each site will recruit, train, and manage a pool of 6 or more mentors for one year or more. Mentors will provide 100 hours/year of mentor-supported STEM activities and mentoring, for a total of 600 mentor hours per Clubhouse. Youth mentoring will lead to a 20% increase in academic engagement, high school completion, and STEM interest for participating youth, as well as a 20% decrease in risky behavior choices.

Performance measures include, but are not limited to: percent increase in the number of mentors recruited in participating Clubhouses; percent increase in the level of engagement by mentors; percent increase in the effectiveness of mentors; number of training hours per mentor; increase in the retention rate and longevity of mentors; percent increase in academic engagement, self-perception, and high school completion of participating youth per Clubhouse; percent increase in awareness of and interest in STEM fields/careers among participating Clubhouse youth; and percent decrease in youth who report skipping school and/or engaging in risky behaviors related to gangs, drugs, and alcohol. CA/NCF