YMCA Reach and Rise One-to-One 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 (specifically opioid abuse), truancy, and other problem and high-risk behaviors. FY 2020 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 children of parents on active military duty; children of incarcerated parents; youth with opioid/substance abuse problems; youth that experience bullying (including cyberbullying); and youth in rural communities. This program is authorized and funded pursuant to Pub. L. No. 116-93, 133 Stat. 2317, 2410.

The YMCA of San Francisco’s (YSF) Reach & Rise model incorporates quality mentoring practices by enhancing each benchmark of the Elements of Effective Practice with a therapeutic approach. This approach integrates cognitive behavioral mentoring strategies that help youth positively engage in society while reducing rates of truancy, substance use, and unmet mental health challenges that often result in juvenile justice system engagement. The FY 2020 award will engage 1,080 youth in 12 states by the end of the 3-year period. The Reach & Rise mentor training equips volunteers with the competencies needed to understand the impacts of the target population and understand their role in intervening. To reduce involvement in the juvenile justice system, the program will focus on development of healthy relationships between the youth participants and their siblings, parents, and peers, while supporting academic success, civic engagement, and family support. Each program director tracks all activities and information regarding recruitment efforts, referrals, participation in trainings, and match meetings and enters data into the YSF online system monthly. Reach & Rise serves youth living in both rural and urban areas, involved in the justice system or at risk of entering the system, presenting with a host of school-related risk factors, and youth struggling with emotional and mental health needs. None of the funding requested for the FY 2020 award will be used to conduct research. CA/NCF