Grantees

To increase the capacity of the school-based mentoring programs of the Mentor Connector to four new schools. Connecting mentors with children in grades 1-5 to assist them in areas of need as assessed by teachers and counselors.

The Side-by-Side Mentoring Program is a collaborative between the Mentor Connector (MC) and the Rutland County Parent-Child Center (PCPCC) to provide one-on-one mentoring support to young parents, many of who do not have positive role models in their lives. This program works to stop the poverty cycle by helping teen parents to develop a responsive, responsible parenting style; stabilize the family unit; link the family to community-based services, and aid the parents to enhance their self-esteem.

A site-based mentoring program in Brattleboro, VT.

Children who are exposed to domestic violence (DV) may experience lasting physical, mental and emotional damage, including difficulties with attachment, regressive behavior, anxiety and depression, poor school performance, developmental delays, physical and psychosomatic health problems, aggression and other conduct problems. Parents who have experienced intimate partner violence are much more likely to be able to provide their children emotional security and encourage their development if they receive trauma informed services and treatment. Our Children and Youth Program will offer supportive playgroups and 1:1 mentoring with the children of our service users; and parenting education and support groups for non-abusing parents.

To provide a Student Assistant Counselor for two days a week. Responsibilities include prevention education as well as group and individual student support.

To help fund a student assistant program at the junior high school.

Provide partial funding for programming during school vacations and summer break for youth between the ages of 12 and 16. Program activities will include healthy eating, physical activity, community services and will enable youth to make relationships with caring adults and practice effective communication skills with peers and adults.

Twinfield Together Mentoring Program (TTMP) has a clear goal: every student who wants a mentor has a mentor. By January 2015, TTMP was providing 38 students with mentors through its community and Everybody Wins! programs, but still there were students without mentors. Last spring, we piloted a peer-mentoring program to meet the demand. Fifteen high school students joined the program, and most of those matches continue in the current school year. Peer-mentoring is a great fit for our TTMP and the school and helps fill the mentoring gap. TTMP needs additional staff—perhaps an AmeriCorps member—to continue the peer-mentoring program.