Summary
Emma built upon YSS’s existing school-based mentoring program to develop a community-based mentoring program for youth in YSS’s emergency shelter, in addiction treatment, and in transitional living . YSS identified a need for community-based mentoring because there were youth who would benefit from the program, but fell outside the traditional school systems. The goal of community-based mentoring is to increase positive behaviors during their treatment programs, decrease negative behaviors, foster resilience toward alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs, and build positive adult relationships for youth in dire need.
Approach
Created YSS’s Community-Based Mentoring Manual, a resource for the person facilitating mentor-mentee matches in the future
Outlined a mentor training program
Established a procedure to create mentor matches
Created system of evaluation for the program
Impact
60 youth projected to be matched with a mentor in a given program year
Articles written by Emma
Treading into unknown territory can be daunting, and the opportunity to join this group of fellows with FLIA was just that. My task was to create a program for YSS where youth who had been through extreme hardship (homelessness, abuse, neglect, etc.) would be paired with volunteer mentors.