AV CUF Youth Mentorship Program

Support for foster and systems-impacted youth

Antelope Valley

Expand existing project, program, or initiative (expanding and continuing ongoing, successful work)

Supporting foster and system impacted youth:
The Antelope Valley has experienced a significant increase in crime levels, gang activity and particularly juvenile gang activity. According to figures from 2017 LA Public Health Assessment, 38% of all children in foster care in California reside in LA County, 29% of California children living in poverty are in LA County, and 41.3% of households in the City of Palmdale have children under the age of 18. Within the Valley, many areas, particularly those that are predominantly communities of color, continue to face the challenges of poverty and a lack of access to resources. These challenges are exacerbated by a lack of public transit/transportation to connect youth with opportunities in other areas of the community.
AVCUF play a critical role in providing social, health, educational, culturally enriching and recreational services for the benefit of gang involved, at-risk youth and their families.

AV CUF mentorship program:
Each mentor meets with their assigned group of mentees at minimum once per month in a group setting, with additional one-on-one/ small group meetingsas necessary. AV CUF mentors follow a mentorship curriculum that AV CUF has developed and which has been demonstrated to achieve positive results with participating youth. AV CUF mentors are volunteers who must apply to serve as mentors for the program. The majority of whom are adult professionals working in a variety of industries in the Antelope Valley community and who serve as positive role models for youth.
To supplement mentorship sessions initiatives connected to the program include:
- Antelope Valley Kids Matter Basketball League
- AV CUF Golf Clinic
- Youth football league
- After-school enrichment programming
- Girls Who code program
- Shoe giveaway community volunteer event
- Father’s Day Kickball Game
- Student talent show for AV CUF youth
- Field trips and cultural outings such as Ram’s football games, Laker’s basketball games, STEAM-focused field trips to the nearby Edwards Airforce Base, theater and museum trips
- College fairs to promote pursuit of higher educatio
Grant funds will support these and many other AV CUF initiatives by enabling AV CUF to purchase the necessary equipment for supporting these events and additional enrichment activities for AV CUF youth.

Grant funds will support effective mentor training and will enable AV CUF to further bolster its existing mentor training practices. This will include enhancing mentor training to addresses additional topics, including the youth development process; cultural, gender and economic issues; and opportunities and challenges associated with mentoring specific populations of children (e.g., children of prisoners, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, youth in foster care, high school dropouts).
Grant funds will also enable AV CUF to implement training for the mentees and their parent(s)/guardian(s) to discuss program guidelines; mentors’ obligations and appropriate roles; mentees’ obligations and appropriate roles; and parental/guardian involvement guidelines. Expa ded efforts in programming will allow more at-risk youth to be reached.