Working in partnership with the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), the 4 H National Mentoring Program supports the initiatives that assist in the development and maturity of community programs providing mentoring services to high-risk populations. The goal is to reduce juvenile delinquency, drug abuse, truancy, and other problems and high-risk behaviors. The program objective is to provide direct one-on-one mentoring, group mentoring, or peer-mentoring services to under-served youth populations.

Martin County has a lot of youth who fall into the high-risk population.  Data USA states that Martin County has a poverty level of 32.4%. Along with a high rate of poverty. This is well above the state and national averages.  Martin County has high rates of risky behavior such as smoking and opioid use. According to open data network, high school graduation rates are only 72.5% and college graduation is only 7.5%. With this in mind Martin County 4-H took advantage of the 4-H National Mentoring Program Grant to increase youth social competency, improve family relationships and increase academic success.

Our program has focused completely on life skills.  Only 1 of the 10 of our mentees have expressed plans to go to college at this point.  When learning about each mentee we thought the best thing we could give them was preparation for life after high school.  We have touched on wide ranging subjects from cooking to automobile maintenance. Our entire group also visited The Natural Bridge State Resort Park in Slade, KY.  While there, everyone got the opportunity to enjoy the wonderful scenery and all were able to get lots of physical fitness while hiking.  Seven of the mentees had never been to a State Park.  

So far, the program has resulted in an initial impact.  We have renewed the grant for a 2nd year and look forward to many successes.