Award Information
Description of original award (Fiscal Year 2017, $1,800,000)
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 National Urban League has implemented Project Ready, a group and peer mentoring program located across 18 states in the following communities: Seattle, WA; San Diego, CA; Atlanta, GA; Springfield, MA; Minneapolis, MN; Buffalo, NY; Cleveland, OH; Greenville, SC; Indianapolis, IN; Pittsburgh, PA; Hartford, CT; Ft. Wayne, IN; Louisville, KY; S1. Louis, MO; Chattanooga, TN; Milwaukee, WI, Philadelphia, PA; West Palm Beach, FL; New Orleans, LA; and Detroit, MI. This mentoring program helps disconnected, court-involved, and high-risk youth (ages 11 to 17) graduate from high school and be ready for college or the workforce. Project Ready puts an emphasis on career and college development, parent engagement, and the development of relationships with caring adults. Outcomes are tracked through program observation and surveys. Outcomes include the following: number of youth and mentors retained in the program, youth completing the minimum number of contact hours (182 annual hours), number of trained mentors demonstrating an increase in knowledge of mentoring and positive youth development, percentage of youth who complete all program requirements, number of youth who do not offend or reoffend, youth who were not victimized, and number of youth who demonstrate increased social competence.
CA/NCF