Real Time Mentoring Program

The Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative, Category 2 (Multi-State Mentoring Program) provides funding to support mentoring organizations in their efforts to strengthen and/or expand their existing mentoring activities within local chapters or sub-awardees (in at least 5 states but fewer than 45 states) 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 in underserved youth, including youth in high-risk environments. Programs are encouraged to target their mentoring services to American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth; children of parents on active military duty; children of incarcerated parents; lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (LGBTQ) youth; youth with disabilities; and youth in rural communities. This program is authorized by the FY15(OJJDP Ment. Oppor Yth) Pub. L. No. 113-235; 128 Stat. 2130, 2195.

Nueva Esperanza through its multistate mentoring program known as Real Time, will serve low-income youth who are at risk for dropping out of school, incarceration, gang involvement and violence, teen parenthood, and substance abuse, which can lead to long-term consequences for the individual, family and community. The goal of the Real Time program is to improve education and social outcomes by providing more than 206,500 hours of one-on-one and group mentoring for at-risk, high risk and underserved youth in low-income Hispanic communities served by 13 faith-based, community and academic organizations in 6 states. Through evidence-based, high-quality mentoring, the Real Time program will improve school attendance and graduation rates of low-income youth and reduce risky behavior, including truancy, early parenthood, substance abuse and antisocial behavior, gangs and crime. Nueva Esperanza will enhance mentoring services at the sites to implement additional research- and evidence-based practices by (a) providing ongoing training; (b) providing additional mentor support; and (c) using a youth-centered development approach. Nueva Esperanza will further enhance mentoring services at the sites by providing training on implementing research-based approaches to engaging families. Progress will be monitored in terms of numbers (mentees served and retained, mentors recruited and retained, trainings given) and evidence of practices implemented. Outcomes will be measured by the numbers of youth exhibiting targeted positive behaviors. CA/NCF