National Native American Mentoring Program Receives Continuation Funding to Serve At-Risk Youth
 The two branches of the National Native American Mentoring Program were recently approved to receive continuation funding, as the program enters its sixth year of implementation at select Boys & Girls Clubs in Indian Country. The funding will sustain these valuable mentoring programs through Fall 2010.
The National Native American Mentoring Program was established in 2003 with a grant from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to the Navajo Nation. The program is currently operating in twelve Native American Boys & Girls Clubs where it serves more than 320 children that have at least one incarcerated primary care giver in a federal, state, or tribal prison facility. The Navajo Nation distributes funding to twelve Boys & Girls Clubs in the states of Arizona, Maine, Montana, North Dakota, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The program seeks to establish secure, supportive relationships for children, aged 4 to 18, in order to build their trust, confidence and self-esteem.
 In 2007, the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) initiated a similar mentoring program as a separate branch under the overall National Native American Mentoring Program. NCAI’s mentoring program is distinct in that all youth in need of a mentor, regardless of their family background, are encouraged to enroll. While NCAI administers the entire project, the program is run locally in partnership with 15 Boys & Girls Clubs located in the states of Arizona, Idaho, Kansas, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, South Dakota, and Washington. This program is funded through a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice. There are currently 287 active mentor and mentee matches in the NCAI branch of the National Native American Mentoring Program.
Mentoring meetings are held on-site at the Boys & Girls Clubs, where the matched pairs participate in activities such as board games, arts and crafts, sports, homework tutoring, cultural activities and storytelling. Special off-site field trips are arranged to allow the matches to participate in community clean-up days, Pow Wow’s, bowling nights, fishing, cookouts, museum visits, camping trips and other special events.
Sites continue to report noticeable improvements in the behavior and performance of mentees. Mentoring Coordinators have observed that mentored youth are more confident, respectful of others, social, and involved in Club activities. Many of these young people also display increased regular school attendance and improved grades as well as a decrease in discipline referrals and at-risk behavior.
 When asked what the greatest successes have been in administering the program, Sherri Kelly, mentor coordinator for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Tahlequah, OK says, "I think just seeing some of the mentees really begin to feel that they fit in. This is largely due to the extra self-esteem they receive from having a mentor." One mentee shared her dream of wanting to ride a horse and was able to have her dream realized on a field trip with her mentor to ride horses. She was "excited beyond words" and said, "…this was a lifetime dream - made to come true by my mentor."
The National Native American Mentoring Program is looking forward to continued success in the upcoming year. Currently serving over 500 matches combined, and with more growth anticipated in the next year, the initiative will reach many more youth in need of extra attention and support.
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