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Chicago State University
9501 S. King Drive
Chicago, IL 60628
(773) 995-3598 (Phone)
(773) 995-2490 (Fax)

Chicago State University has extensive experience related to the development and implementation of evidence-based youth development and mentoring programs for young people. CSU has previously partnered with local schools and social service organizations to provide group mentoring and life skills programming to at-risk Chicago youth.

Project MENTOR
$300,000
Troy Harden
(773) 995-2441 (Phone)
(773) 995-2420 (Fax)
tharden@csu.edu

Abstract

Project Mentor is a holistic mentoring program for youth. The purpose is to provide comprehensive, individually tailored services and educational enrichment activities to promote the development of African American youth. Specifically, the project targets 45 African-American youth attending ninth grade at Hyde Park. The youth attending Hyde Park primarily live in Chicago's Woodlawn community. This community faces high rates of school drop-out, poverty, unemployment, obesity, teen pregnancy, sexually transmitted infections, gang activity and interpersonal and community violence. Subsequently, Project Mentor will provide participating youth with programmatic supports, skill sets and relationships that empower them toward a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. Specific strategies, practices and interventions include: comprehensive case management services, group mentoring focused on building life skills, professionally supported one-on-one mentoring from college students, recreational and health-promotion activities, academic tutoring and supports for career exploration and access to post-secondary education and media and community-based research training. Outcomes include reducing high-risk behaviors related to negative health outcomes, strengthening youth protective/resiliency factors, developing sustainable life skills related to personal and professional success and developing skills and behaviors leading to healthier lifestyle choices and to overall success in life. Performance measures include number of youth with documentation in CitySpan of completion of all enrollment activities, including program manager approval and verification of residence in Woodlawn and neighboring neighborhoods, number of successfully executed contracts with targeted partners for program implementation and evaluation, number of trainings completed and collaboration meetings attended by organizations recruited as prospective partners for expansion of program. The evaluation will include a comprehensive process (formative) evaluation as well as an outcomes (summative) evaluation. The process evaluation will have three primary aims:

• Examine the levels and quality of implementation of the strategies and practices that are the core components of the mentor program,
• Levels of participation in the activities that are included within each program component and
• Whether the program made a positive difference.

• Approach and methods used to evaluate the effectiveness of the interventions conducted

OMH objective(s) toward which the project's results most contribute:

• Increased awareness, education, & outreach to address racial/ethnic minority health & health disparities problems