Wyoming Youth Mentoring

The Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative, Category 3 (Collaborative Mentoring Program) provides funding to support organizations that form a collaborative of at least three and as many as five mentoring organizations in their efforts to strengthen and/or expand their existing mentoring programs to reduce juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, truancy, and other problem and high-risk behaviors. FY 2015 funding will address the factors that can lead to or serve as a catalyst for delinquency or other problem behaviors for at-risk and high-risk youth. This program is authorized by the FY15(OJJDP Ment. Oppor Yth) Pub. L. No. 113-235; 128 Stat. 2130, 2195.

Through a collaborative mentoring partnership, Greater Wyoming Big Brothers Big Sisters, Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Northwest Wyoming and Youth Emergency Services have come together to serve 550 at risk youth in 12 counties. This collaboration will provide a unified enhanced mentoring program to increase positive outcomes for at risk youth. Services provided will include one to one mentoring and peer mentoring. The overarching goal is to reduce the number of youth who become involved in the juvenile justice system by increasing strengths and protective factors. CA/NCF