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Achievement in Motion Mentoring

Building a Strong Foundation

This multi-year Western Massachusetts program provides mentorship and coaching to youth to build the skills and competencies necessary to establish a strong foundation as they transition to adulthood. Financial incentives help motivate program participants to achieve their goals, while at the same time creating the foundation for future financial independence.

The program works with youth referred by our Hampden County Detention Diversion Advocacy Program through their 22nd birthday or the achievement of their program goals.

Please note that at this time, we are not taking external referrals.

Program Goals

Staff mentors guide youth as they set goals in the three domains of meaningful and sustained well-being, helping them to be Connected, Capable, and Healthy.

Connected

  • Establish healthy and strong connections within their natural support systems

  • Foster positive and healthy relationships within peer groups

  • Build skills needed to assess and establish healthy interpersonal relationships

  • Build positive community connections

  • Increase knowledge of and connections to community resources for youth and their families

Capable

  • Complete a high school degree or equivalency

  • Demonstrate the ability to set short- and long-term goals and develop plans to accomplish them

  • Identify and begin implementing a plan for sustained employment to build a foundation for continued employment and financial stability

  • Demonstrate financial fluency through building savings and budgeting

Healthy

  • Maintain an arrest-free record

  • Establish a care plan that provides for accessible and appropriate medical care and treatment

  • Assess youth experience of wellness and overall social determinants of health, and develop a plan supporting positive health outcomes

Our Approach

At the heart of this program is the mentoring and coaching that each youth participant receives. Mentors and mentees meet on average 1-3 times a week, often more frequently during the early stages of program engagement or during periods of particular challenge or high-support needs. The goal is for youth to require less support as they accomplish their goals and move toward and into adulthood.



Mentors begin their work with youth through relationship-building and developing an understanding of each youth’s goals, strengths, and support needs.

Beginning with the first goal plan co-developed with each youth, goals related to being connected, capable, and healthy, as well as successful completion of the program, are identified.

I enjoy mentoring youth to give them the support they need, as they go through the transition to adulthood. This transition I feel is the earliest most difficult transition for a teenager to take on alone. I know the difficulties from my own life experiences as a teenager growing up. I can use my experience to help pave the way for youth to be more successful with fewer bumps in the road than I faced.

Bianca

Your Donations Make a Big Difference

The Achievement in Motion Mentoring Program depends on donations from people like you.