Brief Summary of Sub-awardee Mentoring Projects

Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) has chosen sub-awardees for its second "Mentoring Youth with Disabilities Initiative" grant cycle. Through funding from the Department of Labor, Office on Disability Employment Policy, PYD is able to provide funding and technical assistance to six organizations in 2005. The goal of the initiative is to improve employment outcomes for youth with disabilities through mentoring. Below is a description of the projects awarded:

DC Public Charter School Cooperative, Washington, DC

• Will continue the Apprentice Mentor Project (AMP) to match adult working professionals with youth “apprentices” who have disabilities. AMP will add an e-mentoring program to their current group mentoring format.

Emmanuel Gospel Center, Boston, MA

• Will continue the RYSE Employment and Education Mentoring Program to help homeless youth with hidden disabilities succeed in employment and education. The mentoring program will include life skills workshops and arts activities as well as one-to-one mentoring.

Lake County Center for Independent Living, Mundelein, IL

• Will continue the Connections for Youth with Disabilities Program (CYD), a one-to-one mentoring program that is a natural extension of their Youth Employment Readiness and Youth Leadership programs.

North Country Center for Independence, Plattsburgh, NY

• Will recruit mentors from local colleges, through vocational rehabilitation, and from the business community to be Coordinating Mentors, who will mentor a youth closely on a one-to-one basis, and to be Contributing Mentors who can provide help and role-modeling on specific topics.

Holly Community Inc., Salisbury, MD

• Will initiate a youth mentoring program for individuals with disabilities between the ages of 16-24 in rural Wicomico County, Maryland. HCI will achieve these outcomes by connecting youth to adult role models with disabilities in its core one-to-one mentoring program as well as in peer and group mentoring programs.

Mayors Youth Empowerment Program, Iowa City, IA

• MYEP plans to match 10-15 youth in the Teen Place program with an adult mentor to empower and teach self-advocacy, build leadership skills, and create healthy and safe connections with other youth and positive adult role models in the community, expanding educational, vocational interests, and experience.