The Clubhouse Network: Increasing Mentor Participation and Commitment to Success

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 2017 funding will address the factors that can lead to or serve as a catalyst for delinquency or other problem behaviors in youth.

The Museum of Science will use OJJDP funds to extend and expand The Clubhouse Network’s (TCN) work on CLUBHOUSE: IMPACTS 2.0 to provide youth with meaningful and relevant learning opportunities supported by caring mentors, and lead youth to unleash their creative talents, engage in learning, and be inspired about their future. IMPACTS 2.0 will support 11 of TCN’s US-based sites with 100 caring adults mentoring 500 youth. All IMPACTS 2.0 sites will receive funding to hire a full-time Mentor Coordinator and work with TCN staff to provide for all Clubhouse youth to be mentored by a diverse community of committed, trained and supported mentors. Objectives include a 1:5 mentor-to-member ratio to support TCN’s group mentoring model, with a focus on recruiting mentors of color. 85% of active mentors will participate in monthly training, workshops and/or events. 75% of mentors will complete their commitment, 50% will extend their commitment, and 85% who leave will do so with successful closure. This project will harness the power of Clubhouse youth and families to ensure youth are “ready for success” in their future. Objectives include increasing opportunities for youth voice and leadership, and empowering families to support youth through family events and regular communicate.

IMPACTS 2.0 will result in improved youth outcomes, including more youth who discuss personal problems with mentors, are confident solving new problems, and are committed to school. CA/NCF