Bridge Builders United, Inc. Mentoring Program
Bridge Builders United, Inc. provides intensive, year-round sequenced education, youth development training, life skills training and leadership training after-school over the years of elementary, middle and/or high school for a cohort of youth from the same community (and, where possible, from the same school). It empowers mentors, parents, educators, and service agency stakeholders to provide integrated healthy support and guidance; through incentive-based activities, lead by two African American male Educators mentoring youth in a community-based setting.
The Mentoring Program serves youth ages 10 to 18 years’ old who are identified as being at-risk or high risk for school failure, dropping out of school, and/or becoming involved in juvenile delinquency, including gang affiliation.
The youth in this program also experience risk factors such as high poverty, having a parent that is incarcerated, homelessness, abuse or neglect, early first use or exposure to drugs/alcohol, having a disability, exposure to trauma, negative peer influences, and low self-esteem/perception of self.
Bridge Builders United provides mentoring services one-on-one and in group settings. The length of the relationship is designed to last as long as the young men stay involved in the program with consent from their parent/guardian. The program effectively nurtures the “five C’s” of Positive Youth Development (character, competence, confidence, connections, and contribution) in youth served by empowering mentors, parents, and service agency stakeholders to provide integrated healthy support and guidance. The program delivers Positive Youth Development based mentoring, coordinated support services management, and evidenced based parental development.
The main goals of the program include:
Increase the percentage of youth who have positive attitudes toward school
Improve grades of youth
Increase the percentage of youth who successfully completes high school
Increase the percentage of youth who advance to post-secondary education or training
Decrease the percentage of youth who engage in problem behaviors during their high school years
Decrease the percentage of youth who enter into the Juvenile system
Increase the percentage of youth Mental Health Awareness
Bridge Builders Four Pillars of Focus: Manhood-Academics-Leadership-Excellence
Education - Develops academic skills through mentoring and advocacy, computer-assisted instruction, and homework assistance.
Youth Development - Builds the character and competence of youth by developing problem solving skills, life, and social skills.
Youth Leadership and Democracy Building - Motivates and trains youth to communicate effectively, understand media strategies, develop leadership and advocacy skills, volunteer as Bridge Builders for younger kids, and orchestrate initiatives that improve their communities.
Sustained and Adequate Investment Over Four Years – BBU will utilize every reasonable resource to keep all program participants in school, functioning academically at grade level or above, and staying out of trouble.
Services Provided:
Heartfelt Engagement
Academic Support
Leadership Development
Positive Youth Development
Career and College Exploration
Supportive Services
Conflict Resolution
Parental Engagement
Community Engagement
Developing gifts and talents within
Building healthy relationships
Mental Health Services & Support
And much more…