Agency Details:

Center For Human Development - Youth Senior Mentoring Project

Center for Human Development (CHD) is a community-based organization that offers a spectrum of services for at-risk youth, individuals, families, and communities in the Bay Area. Since 1972 we have provided wellness programs and support aimed at empowering people and promoting positive growth.

Description:
The Youth-Senior Mentoring Project connects youth and seniors in their communities. The goal of the Youth-Senior Mentoring Project is to provide opportunities for local youth to develop caring, mutually beneficial relationships with older adults in an effort to decrease older adults’ feelings of isolation and increase feelings of self-efficacy.

This program allows high school youth ages 14-18, who reside in Contra Costa County, to visit with a local senior for a minimum of six weeks. Youth and seniors have the opportunity to engage in activities such as art, knitting, sharing collectibles or simply talking. Youth visit seniors in a senior facility (i.e. assisted living/nursing home) or seniors’ homes. Youth are always supported by staff or an adult volunteer and do not visit seniors’ homes alone.

History:
The Youth-Senior Mentoring project was first piloted in the summer of 2007. Youth from the Center for Human Development's Friday Night Live Program were matched up with seniors from Contra Costa Counties Senior Peer Counseling Program. Together youth and Senior Peer Counselors visited seniors in the community. A second pilot project began in January 2009. Two successful pilot projects led to the funding of the Youth-Senior Mentoring project. This project is currently being funded by a Mental Health Service Act grant.

Contact person: Emily Justice, Program Director, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (925) 687-6903

Address:

391 Taylor Blvd, Ste 120 Pleasant Hill, CA 94523 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.chd-prevention.org/newsevents.php

Last updated on August 25, 2010