As the youth mentoring field has expanded and diversified in America over the last 30-plus years, many adults who care about getting these valuable relationships to more young people have asked questions about the scope and scale of mentoring in American society. In 2014, MENTOR first started to examine these societal level trends in a seminal…

Summer youth employment programs (SYEPs) have the potential to serve as critical bridges to promising careers, especially for young people who hail from disadvantaged backgrounds or reside in underserved areas. Summer jobs can provide early exposure to professional environments, equipping participants with essential skills for the workplace,…

The purpose of this study was to describe community partners' (CPs) perceptions of an out-of-school swimming program (OSSP) for under­served children and youth. Participants were four CPs associated with the OSSP during three consecutive summers and parents of the children and youth who participated in the program. We employed a theoretical…

This waitlist-controlled cluster randomized clinical trial presents the results of PS + ASD for military dependent and connected youth with ASD. Following earlier findings regarding PS + ASD, this study expands upon that previous work by including a new population, military dependent and connected transition aged youth with ASD. Findings indicate…

Families of autistic youth often support their children's transition from adolescence to adulthood. During this time, families learn to navigate the complex shift from school-based to adult disability services. For Latinx (vs non-Latinx White) families of autistic youth, transition is especially difficult because of the systemic barriers (e.g.…

Advocates for marginalized students have worked to understand the equity implications of public policy and its application on educational performance gaps. This study investigated equity policies in a southern California community college intervention program: the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS). EOPS is an equity program created…

Background: Educators in rural schools are uniquely situated to address youth mental health disparities, yet often face challenges in delivering mental health supports. This paper describes the process of adapting the evidence-based Coping Power program, a small group prevention program for youth with aggressive behavior problems, to be a…

This qualitative single-case study applied social exchange theory to evaluate the impact of transitioning from traditional, in-person mentoring to virtual mentoring during the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically from April 2020 to April 2021, within a youth mentoring organization. The study used semistructured interviews for data collection and…

In the nation today, 4.6 million young adults ages 16 to 24 are out of school and unemployed. At the same time, there are roughly 7 million job openings, and employers are clamoring for skilled workers. What's wrong with this picture? These young people, commonly referred to as "opportunity youth," must overcome significant barriers to…

The purpose of this study was to listen to what youth with special needs in juvenile justice (JJ) settings say they need to be successful during reentry. The three instruments used to gain an understanding of their perspectives on reentry and their perceptions of barriers include (a) intake interviews, (b) focus groups, and (c) semi-structured…

The researchers explored how the migrant students characterized their experiences in the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) program at a predominately White institution in Georgia and how they developed identity in this qualitative study. Interviews with seven migrant students were transcribed and coded for themes using Baxter Magolda's…

Community engagement programs offer college students an opportunity to impact youth in rural, low-income communities. While in a rural setting where educational training and support is not abundant, college students learn about struggles that rural, low-income youth face in exploring and attending postsecondary education options. The Alternative…

Purpose: Immigrant youth face both unique and disproportionate barriers to sexual health. Targeted sexual health education to redress these disparities requires creative and inclusive approaches that consider personal and community challenges and strengths. This study piloted a novel intervention: SExT: Sex Education by Theatre, a theatre-based,…

Ongoing research and evaluation that produce actionable, widely disseminated evidence are central to the continuous improvement of U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) programs. In addition, the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act of 2014 (WIOA) requires DOL to conduct periodic, independent evaluations to inform the effective operation of WIOA…

LGBTQ-supportive youth programs provide access to critical resources and social support in identity-affirming environments. In Chicago, Illinois, an informal network of LGTBQ-supportive youth programs in the city's white, middle-class, gay enclave, Boystown, draws predominately low-income youth of color from across the city who seek emergency…