The Model
The Friends-Boston model of professional mentoring was developed in Portland Oregon in 1994. The model was identified and selected in 2004 by the GreenLight Fund, a venture philanthropy firm, as an outstanding and effective new model. Now, as a completely independent and locally-funded organization, we are innovating and perfecting the model to serve the specific needs of Boston's children.
Leading researchers agree that if children have access to:
- A caring adult in their life,
- A safe place during non-school hours,
- A healthy start and adequate health care,
- An effective education leading to the development of marketable skills, and
- The opportunity to serve their community,
a child's health and well-being will be significantly advanced as will their ability to grow into a successful and productive adult.
This is what we provide.
Achievers: Each spring Friends-Boston spends eight weeks at the John Marshall, Joseph B. Tynan, and Maurice J. Tobin Boston Public elementary schools. Friends-Boston works with the teachers, educational specialists, principals, counselors and social workers to select sixteen outstanding and talented first graders who will most benefit from the presence of a consistent, long-term mentoring relationship with a Friend. Each child is identified based on his or her degree of vulnerability to school failure, gang and drug involvement, teenage pregnancy, and criminal behavior. Many of these children have faced poverty, homelessness, neglect, abuse, foster care, drug and alcohol abuse, parental incarceration, and domestic violence. In 2008 we will be serving 57 Achievers along with their siblings and families.
Friends: Young men and women interested in working in the areas of child development, social work, or education are required to commit to three years as a Friend. Friends are provided with a full-time salary, training, and support for professional development as well as opportunities for advancement. Friends create individualized plans for each of their eight Achievers to support him/her in developing individual assets, positive character traits and leadership and devising strategies to overcome skill deficits and reach goals. Friends utilize other community-based organizations, community resources and activities including but not limited to: karate classes, dance classes, Boston University Science Club Wizards, Friends-Boston's own community service club Helping Hands, public library trips, visits to museums, shopping, dinner at new restaurants, and music lessons.
Network Support: Achievers cannot succeed without support to mitigate external factors that affect their everyday lives. Recognizing this, Friends-Boston supports Achievers and their families with the resources and services they need to help the children excel academically, including providing school supplies, translation services, and parenting and adult education classes. Friends-Boston helps them find the right medical professionals to provide healthcare, such as eye and dental appointments, and ensures that Achievers receive proper medications. Our parent mobilization and engagement initiative offers social and community service events for parents and caregivers of Achievers to participate in Friends-Boston with their children.
We Are Unique: We are unique because rather than attempting to provide all of the services that each Achiever or family needs, we serve as a vital connection with services to support each child and family's needs and build their assets. In this way we holistically serve the children and families that would otherwise be passed over or not engaged. Partners include: Boston Campaign for Proficiency (BCP), Strong Women Strong Girls, Generations Incorporated, Collaborative Problem Solving (CPS), and Cradles to Crayons.
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