4-H National Mentoring Program

The Mentoring Opportunities for Youth Initiative, Category 1 (National Mentoring Program) provides funding to support national mentoring organizations in their efforts to strengthen and/or expand their existing mentoring activities within local chapters or sub-awardees (in at least 45 states) to reduce juvenile delinquency, drug abuse (specifically opioid abuse), truancy, and other problem and high-risk behaviors. FY 2019 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 required to target American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth, and are also highly encouraged to target their mentoring services to children of parents on active military duty; children of incarcerated parents; youth with disabilities; youth impacted by opioids; and youth in rural communities. This program is authorized by Pub L. No. 116-6, 133 Stat. 13, 115.

In partnership with land-grant universities (LGU) and the Cooperative Extension System, the National 4-H Council (Council) will strengthen and expand mentoring programs for youth across America that address factors that can lead to or serve as a catalyst for delinquency or other problem behaviors in youth. The 4-H National Mentoring Program incorporates the core principles of positive youth development to improve the well-being of youth 17 years old or younger and identified as at risk or high risk for involvement in the juvenile justice system, especially underserved populations. Services are targeted toward American Indian and Alaska Native youth both on and off the reservations, children of parents on active military duty, children of incarcerated parents, youth with disabilities, youth in rural communities, youth impacted by opioids, and other underserved youth meeting criteria. The programs used are 4-H Mentoring: Youth & Families with Promise (4-H YFP), 4-H Tech Wizards, 4-H Youth Futures: College Within Reach, and 4-H Health Rocks! Mentoring. 4-H YFP is a prevention program targeting youth with below-average school performance, poor social skills, and/or weak family bonds and providing them with one-on-one mentoring and family strengthening activities. 4-H Tech Wizards engages underserved youth in a group mentoring program that focuses on STEM education through mentoring and community service. 4-H Youth Futures: College Within Reach is a college and workforce preparedness program engaging youth in one-on-one mentoring and college visits providing classroom and campus orientations. 4-H Health Rocks! Mentoring programming improves decision-making skills and increases knowledge about risky behaviors like drugs and alcohol, driving outcomes in reduction of those behaviors. Program goals are to provide one-on-one and/or group mentoring services tailored to the needs of the identified at-risk, high-risk, or underserved youth targeted, and to implement enhanced practices that further align with research and evidence on effective mentoring approaches. Strategies for engaging mentees and mentors include volunteer recruitment, family engagement, ongoing training for mentors, family nights, summer camps, 4-H Club meetings, and other structured activities. Performance measures include number of youth served, mentors trained/retained, and percentage of youth completing the program and exhibiting desired outcomes. CA/NCF