The LOS angeles mentoring program proposes to expand its existing programming in under-resourced areas of LOS angeles and SAN diego, CA specifically to the rural communities served by fresno county…

The U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) awarded a $999,749 Project Grant under the Juvenile Mentoring Program (CFDA 16.726) to Los Angeles Team Mentoring, Inc. The 3-year grant, effective October 1, 2024, will enable the organization to expand its existing mentoring services to serve 2,790 at-risk middle school youth in underserved rural areas of Los Angeles, San Diego, and Fresno County, California. The project will recruit and train 322 mentors to provide research-based enhanced mentoring, including both in-person (TeamWorks) and virtual (eWorks) mentoring, focused on increasing protective factors, developing social-emotional skills, and reducing negative behaviors and outcomes. The program will also incorporate more parent voice, input, and active responsibilities into its existing youth-family partnership activities.

The LOS angeles mentoring program proposes to expand its existing programming in under-resourced areas of LOS angeles and SAN diego, CA specifically to the rural communities served by fresno county middle schools. In addition to the challenges of underserved groups in urban districts, rural districts are faced with additional challenges of isolation, transportation, and limited access to health and academic services. The project will enable LOS angeles mentoring program to recruit and train 322 mentors to provide research-based enhanced mentoring to 2,790 at-risk middle school youth over the 3-year project period. The expansion will include virtual mentoring (e-works) in all target districts, contributing to greater accessibility and overcoming barriers to services or opportunities. In-person mentoring (teamworks) will be offered only in LOS angeles. Mentoring teams will participate in grade-level curricula designed to increase protective factors, develop social-emotional learning skills, and reduce the likelihood of negative behaviors and outcomes. The curriculum addresses the impact of bullying and cyberbullying and increases empathy among mentees. The LOS angeles mentoring program will increase protective factors such as improved attendance and academic performance, improved persistence and resilience, and established relationship-building with peers and adults. The LOS angeles mentoring program will build on its current youth-family partnership activities to incorporate more parent voice, input, and active responsibilities. To measure progress toward meeting project goals and objectives, the LOS angeles mentoring program will work with an external consultant to track performance measures, collect and analyze data, and report on internal progress and achievement of outcomes.