National Cares Mentoring Movement

The Rising: Elevating Education, Expectations and Self-EsteemIN VIRTUAL AND PLACE-BASED SETTINGS, YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LED THROUGH AN INTERACTIVE CURRICULUM BY FACILITATORS WHO ARE PSYCHOLOGISTS AND SOCIAL WORKERS. COMMUNITY MENTORS PROVIDE ADDITIONAL SUPPORTS. THE STUDENTS LEARN TO UNEARTH THEIR INNATE POWER TO MAKE POSITIVE LIFE-PROPELLING CHOICES. THE INTERACTIVE ACTIVITIES BUILDSOCIAL-EMOTIONAL SKILLS, SELF-CONFIDENCE, CRITICAL THINKING SKILLS AND SELF-EFFICACY. OUR MODEL BLENDS A CULTURALLY SPECIFIC APPROACH TO SELF-EFFICACY WITH TRAUMA-INFORMED HEALING PRACTICES THAT MEET YOUNG PEOPLE WHERE THEY ARE WITHOUT JUDGMENT. IN WELLNESS MENTORING CIRCLES (WMC), CARES FACILITATORS LEAD STUDENTS THROUGH A CURRICULUM DESIGNED TO HELP MIDDLE- AND HIGH-SCHOOLERS IDENTIFY THEIR STRESSORS AND UNPACK THE HARMS THAT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND THAT THEY HAVE PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED DUE TO INEQUITIES. THE STUDENTS LEARN COPING STRATEGIES, SELF-REGULATION, HOW TO SOOTHE ANXIETY AND UNEARTH SELF-AWARENESS AND CRITICAL THINKING. OUR CURRICULUM IS COMPRISED OF TEN PILLARS THAT INCLUDE HERITAGE, WELLNESS AND PROSPERITY. WMCS ARE COMPASSIONATE SPACES, THEY ARE SAFE AND INTIMATE GROUPS WHERE MUTUAL TRUST AND COMMUNITY ARE ESTABLISHED. OUR PROGRAM BRINGS A CULTURALLY RICH CURRICULUM AND HEALING PROFESSIONALS INTO THE LIVES OF CHILDREN, WHO DO NOT HAVE ACCESS TO THEM IN THEIR COMMUNITIES, AND MENTORS WHO PROVIDE SUPPORT, GUIDANCE AND LOVE.THE RISING PROGRAM OPERATES IN-PERSON AND VIRTUAL SESSIONS AT SITES ACROSS THE UNITED STATES. WELLNESS CIRCLES (IN-PERSON, VIRTUALLY, AND HYBRID) SERVED OVER 4,900 CHILDREN IN DENVER, DALLAS, SEATTLE, STAMFORD, NEWARK, BROOKLYN, HOUSTON, DETROIT, SOUTH FLORIDA, LOS ANGELES, SAN JOSE, OMAHA, AND DURHAM. FACILITATORS AND PARENTS REPORTED TO NATIONAL CARES THE IMMEDIATE CHANGE IN CHILDREN'S PSYCHOLOGICAL ATTITUDES. EAGER TO JOIN WELLNESS MENTORING CIRCLES, STUDENTS WERE ABLE TO CONNECT WITH ANOTHER AND OVERRIDE THEIR FEELINGS OF ISOLATION.

University for Parents:THE UNIVERSITY FOR PARENTS (U4P) IS DESIGNED TO ASSIST PARENTS IN OVERCOMING SYSTEMIC AND SELF-IMPOSED BARRIERS TO SELF-SUFFICIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY. THE UNIVERSITY FOR PARENTS IS A CURRICULA-BASED, WORKFORCE-DEVELOPMENT AND HEALING INITIATIVE THAT PROVIDES SPACES FOR PARENT-LEARNERS TO PROCESS TRAUMA, RE-AWAKEN HOPE AND LEARN A VARIETY OF SKILLS THAT ENHANCE THEIR ABILITY TO SECURE FULFILLING JOBS WITH LIVABLE WAGES AND ENGAGE IN TRANSFORMING THEIR COMMUNITY. U4P WORKS WITH COMMUNITY AND CORPORATE PARTNERS TO PROVIDE WRAPAROUND SERVICES TO PARENT-LEARNERS AND THEIR FAMILIES AND ENRICHMENT CLASSES IN LITERACY, PARENTING, MONEY MANAGEMENT, ENTREPRENEURSHIP, COMPUTER TRAINING AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT. BY PARTICIPATING IN U4P, PARENT-LEARNERS DEVELOP JOB SKILLS AND ARE CONNECTED TO PROGRAMS THAT ADVANCE THEIR ABILITY TO BECOME EMPLOYED. IN 2022, OVER 700 PARENTS ENROLLED IN THE VIRTUAL PROGRAM, ALLOWING US TO REACH MORE PARTICIPANTS. AND 80% OF PARENT LEARNERS IN THE WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT ACHIEVEMENT TRACK SUCCESSFULLY OBTAINED NEW OR IMPROVED EMPLOYMENT, ALLOWING THEM TO EARN LIVEABLE WAGES.

Affiliate Development and Mentor Recruitment and Training: OUR WORK IS ONLY POSSIBLE BECAUSE OF OUR LOCAL CARES AFFILIATE LEADERS, A VOLUNTEER ARMY OF CARING AND COMMITTED ADULTS WHO RECRUIT, TRAIN AND DEPLOY LOVING MENTORS, AND OUR NATIONAL COMMUNITY IMPACT PARTNERS, FROM WHOM WE RECRUIT MENTORS AND LEVERAGE RESEACH AND HEALING-CENTERED PRACTICES. WE SUPPORT AND STRENGTHEN THE LEADERSHIP CAPACITY OF OUR AFFILIATE NETWORK THROUGH MONTHLY GROUP TELECONFERENCES, WEEKLY ONE-ON-ONE SUPPORT CALLS, DEDICATED STAFF SUPPORT AND ANNUAL ALL-AFFILIATE TRAINING CONFERENCE, WHICH WAS HELD VIRTUALLY IN 2022. UNITED BY OUR PRINCIPLES AND MISSION, OUR LEADERS ACROSS 58 U.S. CITIES EFFECTIVELY RECRUIT ADULTS TO SERVE AS MENTORS AND DEPLOY THEM TO SCHOOLS AND YOUTH-SUPPORT ORGANIZATIONS THAT ARE IN NEED OF BLACK VOLUNTEERS TO PROVIDE ONE TO ONE MENTORING. CULTURAL COMPETENCY IS EMBEDDED IN ALL AFFILIATE ACTIVITIES. BECAUSE OF OUR LOCAL PRESENCE AND LEADERSHIP, NATIONAL CARES IS ABLE TO SUPPORT COMMUNITIES AND ADULTS THROUGH COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND WEALTH-BUILDING CIRCLES (COMMUNITY CIRCLES).COMMUNITY CIRCLES PROVIDE A COMPASSIONATE PLACE FOR REFLECTION AND CONNECTION, WHERE OUR MENTORS AND OTHER COMMUNITY LEADERS CAN LEARN TO RELIEVE THE DEBILITATING STRESS TOO MANY OF US SHROUD IN SILENCE. WITH INCREASING DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION TRAINING REQUESTS FROM OTHER NATIONAL YOUTH-SERVING ORGANIZATIONS AND CORPORATIONS, NATIONAL CARES CONTINUED TO DELIVER VIRTUAL COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND RACIAL HEALING CIRCLES FOR CHILDREN, STAFF, AND THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AT SELECT BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICA SITES IN SELECT U.S. MARKETS. THESE COMMUNITY WELLNESS AND RACIAL HEALING GATHERINGS FACILITATED THE INTRODUCTION OF OUR CULTURALLY ANCHORED AND HEALING-CENTERED PRACTICES INTO THE BOYS AND GIRLS CLUBS OF AMERICAS SOCIAL EMOTIONAL LEARNING, TRAUMA-INFORMED, RACIAL EQUITY FRAMEWORK.2022 SAW EXPANSION OF OUR AFFILIATE DEVELOPMENT AND MENTOR RECRUITMENT PROGRAMMING IN THE SOUTHERN REGION OF THE U.S. LOCAL CARES AFFILIATE LEADERS ENGAGED, TRAINED AND DEPLOYED APPROXIMATELY 2,030 VOLUNTEER MENTORS TO SERVE OUR CHILDREN AND PARENT LEARNERS, VIRTUALLY AND IN-PERSON, THROUGHOUT OUR NETWORK.