Michigan State University Extension:  4-H Mentor Michigan Initiative

The "4-H Mentor Michigan Initiative" focuses on the expansion and strengthening of mentoring programs in targeted Michigan communities.  This project will enlist 55 full-time AmeriCorps members statewide to serve with Michigan State University Extension (MSUE) 4-H staff and the other community based youth mentoring programs to recruit 2000 potential volunteers to serve as mentors.  Members will assist in training and matching 825 volunteers statewide to build the capacity of each community to establish one-to-one or small group mentoring programs.  As a result of these efforts, 1,650 low-income at-risk or underserved youth, 5 to 19 years old, will participate in on-going mentoring relationships.

AmeriCorps members will also be expected to work with local mentoring coalitions, schools, civic organizations and/or local faith-based organizations to develop or strengthen local partnerships related to mentoring.  Fifty new partnerships will be formed (statewide) during the current year of the grant.  If local mentoring coalitions do not exist in the targeted communities, a priority will be to organize and establish a community wide group for this purpose.

Counties Served:  (This list is still being finalized.  Will have final list in about 3 weeks)

Contact Information:  Julie Chapin, Program Director

Michigan State University

178 Agriculture Hall

East Lansing, Michigan 48824-1039

Phone: (517) 432-7608

Email:            chapin@msu.edu