Purpose

Through the Mentoring Children of Prisoners Program, FYSB awards grants to community organizations that provide mentors to children and youth with incarcerated parents. Each mentoring program is designed to ensure that mentors provide young people with safe and trusting relationships; healthy messages about life and social behavior; appropriate guidance from a positive adult role model; and opportunities for increased participation in education, civic service, and community activities

Services

Grant recipients provide services, both directly and in collaboration with other local agencies, to strengthen and support children of incarcerated parents and their families. This includes connecting children with their imprisoned parent, when appropriate. Grantees also cultivate mentors from within the child’s family and community through:

• Recruiting. Grantees are required to recruit a diverse group of mentors who are committed to spending at least an hour a week with their mentee for at least a year.
• Screening. Grant recipients are required to screen volunteers extensively through appropriate reference checks, criminal background checks, and child and domestic abuse record checks, to ensure that they pose no safety risk to the young people.
• Training. Mentors must attend an orientation and training in mentoring skills before being assigned to a young person.
• Monitoring and Evaluating. Grantees are required to provide ongoing support and oversight of the mentoring relationship to ensure that young people are receiving appropriate support and are benefiting from the mentor match. Outcomes for each participating youth are measured by such factors as academic achievement and avoidance of risky behaviors.