Harlem CARES Mentoring Movement: A Needs Assessment

Alison Koytek Lissec Medrano Gerard Sargent

Outline ❑Client ❑Purpose ❑Goal and objectives ❑Background❑Methods ❑Findings from expert interviews ❑Limitations ❑Recommendations

Client

Structure

❑Harlem CARES❑Founded (2009)❑Affiliate of National CARES Network ❑Donation and volunteer driven ❑The Board

Mission❑Recruit

❑Connect

❑Direct

Purpose

Increase retention of mentors after initial Harlem CARES mentoring orientation.

Our Goals and Objectives

Goal

Identify and resolve the issue candidates are having after attending the Harlem

CARES orientation session.

Objectives

❑ Assess❑Harlem CARES’ structure❑Recruitment Process and orientation

BackgroundPICTURE OF HARLEM

Target Area: Harlem❑Community District 9

❑Manhattanville ❑Hamilton Heights❑West Harlem

❑Community District 10 ❑Central Harlem

❑Community District 11❑East Harlem

Key Indicators District 9, 10, 11 New York Single Female Households

25.3% 11.4

Poverty Rate 28.3% 19.9%Unemployment 8.5% 6.4%Income Levels Below 25K

36.3% 44%

High School Graduation Rates

22.1% 85.6%

Associate or Bachelors Degree

22.6% 34.1%

Why Mentoring is Needed ❑ Almost 9 million children

in the US have no caring adults in their lives

❑ Mentored youth ❑ less likely to engage in

risky behavior ❑ more likely to develop strong

relationships and become productive members of society

Why Mentoring is Needed: Some Facts • NYC Children under 18 accounted for 39% of the homeless

population

• 40% of Harlem residents receive some form of public assistance

• 25% of households are below the federal poverty level

• In 2014, 53% of Youth ages 7-15 in NYC have been arrested of a felony

• Approximately 12% percent of NY State residents age 12 and older experience a substance use disorder annually

• 109,000 students are enrolled in “failing” schools in NYC with a 60% graduation rate

Best Practices: The Literature

Five Best Practices❑ Recruiting ❑ Screening ❑ Training ❑ Matching❑ Follow up/Monitoring/Support

Methods

Methods

Findings

Expert Interview Survey Observation

Survey

Survey: Emailed to Harlem CARES database.

Expert Interviews ❑ Susan Taylor, Founder of National CARES Mentoring

Movement❑ Steven Powell, Chief Program Officer of National

CARES Mentoring Movement ❑ Tammy Samms, Chair of the Brooklyn CARES

Mentoring Movement Chapter ❑ Dr. Stacie NC Grant, Chair of the Queens CARES

Mentoring Movement Chapter

Observation Orientation Session

NEW PIC

(Photo Courtesy of Samir Amami/New York Photo Images)

Findings: Expert Interviews

Findings from Expert Interviews

❑ Male recruitment

❑ Time commitment

❑ Process time

❑ Target population: disadvantaged children

❑ Affiliates capacity

Limitations

Limitations

Limitations ❑Harlem CARES capacity

❑Database issues

❑Focus group and survey implementation

❑Deadlines and timing

Recommendations

❑Update website

❑Expand community outreach

❑Work with organizations ❑for better time commitment options❑process improvement

Next Steps

❑Further assessment needed❑Plan to outreach in key community

centers❑Follow up commitment by Harlem CARES ❑Recruit more volunteers ❑Secure a permanent office location