We have redefined the youth mentoring field by creating the first and only long-term professional mentoring program in the country. Our model is distinct, courageous and proven - but at its core, it's centered around love.
Love is verb. Every day, our Friends - who are experts in building sustained and nurturing relationships with youth - show up and translate this word into action. Friends slowly and intentionally cultivate the innate talents of their youth while investing in a supportive and trusting relationship with the youth's family. We specialize in working with youth who have faced a lot of adversity. Often times, adversity is a shared experience amongst a youth's entire family. For this reason, we offer multi-generational support to entire families as a holistic approach to amplifying the resiliency and empowerment of those we serve. By starting with the child, entire communities can experience positive change.
We have the data to show that our program model is real and it works. Our model was founded on research showing that the single most important factor in overcoming childhood adversity is a long-term, nurturing relationship with a consistent and caring adult. Research over the past three decades continues to affirm how much these relationships matter.
Our trauma-informed, long-term mentoring model is now being sought after by communities and systems around the country and the world. They recognize that children who've experienced a lot of adversity need the more specialized and long-term mentoring relationships that Friends of the Children–Los Angeles provides.
We select children who could most benefit from a relationship with a long-term professional mentor.
Like all children, the youth we serve have unique talents, varied interests and big dreams. Unlike other programs, we exclusively focus on children who face enormous systemic barriers. We partner with community organizations, schools and foster care systems to help us meet children (ages 4 to 6) and families who could benefit most from a relationship with a Friend.
We hire and train full-time paid professional mentors called Friends.
Our Friends' full-time job is to empower and support youth and their parents. Moving mentorship out of the volunteer realm is key to getting the quality, consistency and commitment our children and their families deserve in the relationship. Each Friend works with eight to ten youth, spending three to four hours every week with or on behalf of each child.
We commit for the long term.
We commit to every child for the long term, from kindergarten through graduation. 12+ years, no matter what.
Our work is relationship-based, individualized and intentional.
Each child gets a dedicated, one-on-one Friend who spends a minimum of 14 intentional hours per month with them. Friends and youth set goals to build life skills and design weekly outings for milestone achievement. Friends create meaningful experiences to explore each child's unique talents and interests. Friends of the Children has developed nine research-based Core Assets, which are specific qualities we focus on to ensure the social and emotional development of our youth.
We work with youth in school, at home and in the community.
We take a whole-child approach because we understand that lived experiences, home environment, systems, community and culture shape how a child develops and learns. Friends co-design a future with youth and parents that leads to educational success, neighborhood connections, and stronger communities
We evaluate, measure and improve.
We are equal parts head and heart. Data from Friends, youth and parents help us improve our impact. Ongoing third-party research, evaluation, and parent and youth feedback drive program improvement and innovation. Right now, our model is the focus of an ongoing longitudinal randomized-controlled trial led by researchers from the University of Washington and New York University.
We call our professional mentors Friends because it isn't just a job. They are forming meaningful relationships with our youth that last for years.
The Harvard Business School Association of Oregon showed that for every $1 invested in Friends of the Children, the community benefits over $7 in saved social costs. Helping one child saves the community $900,000.
92% of youth go on to enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country or enter the workforce.
83% of youth earn a high school diploma or GED.
93% of youth remain free from juvenile justice system involvement.
98% of youth wait to parent until after their teen years.
