This report presents information on participants in the YouthBuild Mentoring Project.
This report presents the results of a survey of participants in the YouthBuild USA National Mentoring Alliance Program. The main objective of the mentoring program is to engage students with committed and responsible adult volunteers in order to help them achieve success in education, employment, and social relationships. Between October 2010 and September 2012, staff from the Research and Evaluation Center of John Jay College of Criminal Justice conducted an assessment of participants' attitudes on a variety of topics, including self-image, perceptions of social support, family function, and attitudes towards society. Results of the survey include the following: students participating in YouthBuild Mentoring reported a high sense of self-efficacy, high self-confidence, and a belief in their abilities to make a positive impact on their communities; program participants also believed in their potential to achieve educationally, economically, and socially in their lives; and participants matched with a mentor during the program were more likely to complete the program. These findings suggest that YouthBuild Mentoring participants are enthusiastic, self-confident, and ready to work for the benefit of their communities; and that they believe in the usefulness of the program and are ready to take advantage of the opportunities that it has to offer. Tables, figures, and appendixes