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MENTORING
Youth mentoring is about providing young people with positive adult role models in the community and in the workplace. The St. Joseph Youth Alliance has two programs that have a youth  mentoring focus – Journey to Unite Mentors and Parents (JUMP) and Northwest Missouri Mentoring Partnership (MMP). Both programs have core elements that provide young people with a sense of belonging, give them a sense that the community cares about them, and supports them in identifying and capitalizing on their potential. The objectives of the programs are for youth to achieve academic success and have positive, long-term employment experiences. It is believed that by achieving these objectives, youth will have a strong foundation for future social success and will contribute back to society and the community.
 Northwest Missouri Mentoring Partnership. The Northwest Missouri Mentoring Partnership is for youth age 15 ½ - 21 who are interested in improving their employment skills. The first step in the program is to complete the six job preparation classes that assist youth in the following areas:
- Job search
- Resume creation
- Application completion
- Cover letter development
- Interviewing
- Job retention
While the program does not guarantee employment, it assists youth in job searching and provides leads on job openings with our business partners. Once a youth has obtained employment, the mentoring coordinator works with the business partner to identify an employee that will serve as the on-the-job mentor. The mentor assists the youth with questions and provides constructive feedback. The main focus of the program is to help youth gain employment skills and knowledge that can assist them in long-term employment as well as prepare them for future employment opportunities.
 Journey to Unite Mentors and Parents (JUMP) -
JUMP provides mentored support and encouragement to pregnant and parenting teens. Young parents must be 21 years-of-age or younger, and either expecting a baby or already parenting a child under age three. The young parents are matched with a trained, volunteer community mentor. Through the support of the program and the mentor, teens are encouraged to achieve educational and career goals as well as to raise a healthy family.
Components of the program include:
- Parenting and life skills training
- Monthly support group meetings
- Monthly home visits
- Infant massage training
- Monthly playgroups
- High school completion or GED
- Goal setting and life planning
JUMP is offered in partnership between the St. Joseph Youth Alliance, the YWCA of St. Joseph, and Heartland Health.
For more information on these programs please email us or call 816-232-0050.
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