City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: OCTOBER 17, 2023
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: MIKE MACKEY, COURT SERVICE UNIT
DOCKET TITLE:
TITLE
Consideration of a Grant Application to the Virginia Department of Juvenile Justice Services Youth Violence & Substance Use Prevention Mentoring Program.
BODY
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ISSUE: Consideration of a grant application to pilot a new, evidence-based mentoring program “Building Your Power” for middle school students who need extra support in addressing truancy and/or behavioral health issues.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
(1) Approve an application for up to $160,000 in grant funding, with no City match, from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services; and
(2) Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: The City of Alexandria has been invited to apply to the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services 2024 Virginia Youth Violence & Substance Use Prevention and Intervention Grant Program. The grant announcement was received on September 26, 2023 and the application is due on October 30, 2023 at 5 p.m. The grant award period for this project is January 1, 2024 through December 2025.
With an emphasis on mentoring boys, a current service gap among Alexandria Mentoring Partnership programs, this program will provide truancy prevention services, student engagement and student conduct supports, school advocacy, case management, family engagement, and connection to community resources. The overarching goals of Building Your Power are to: decrease risk factors and increase protective factors; provide non-parent adult support through one-on-one mentoring; prevent youth violence, gang involvement, substance use, and juvenile court involvement; and to increase high school graduation rates.
DISCUSSION: Over the past two years, the Court Service Unit (CSU) Crime Prevention Team developed the framework for a new mentoring program, Building Your Power, utilizing evidence-based mentor program design and best practices in socio-emotional learning among youth.
This grant funding will enable full implementation of the program, utilizing paid, well-trained, and coached college student mentors, and provide each of the 26 boys served with 150 hours of service. Additionally, grant funds will be used to fund outings and special events that engage mentors and mentees in the community, build life skills, anger control and moral reasoning, engage families, and support youth enrollment in out-of-school time programs.
Up to $160,000 will be requested to support the initial two years of the program, with anticipated spending as follows:
In each of Fiscal Year 2025 and Fiscal Year 2026: $80,000 would be used annually for:
§ $65,000 Mentor Salaries - Up to 13 college student mentors will be paid to attend 50 hours of training and provide 150 hours of service to 13 youth.
§ $4,800 Mileage and Parking - Each mentor will be reimbursed up to $400 for travel expenses.
§ $10,200 Out-of-School Time Community Engagement - mentor/mentee outings, fees/equipment/supplies for enrollment in programs of interest, and family events at approximately $800 per youth.
The Building Your Power mentoring program supports the Alexandria City Council Priority to Support Youth and Families by expanding academic, social, and emotional services and physical support to youth during out-of-school hours. It aligns with Alexandria’s Gang Prevention Community Task Force strategy to connect youth with mentors who are representative of the population, and programs that foster social connection and strengthen social connectedness. The program supports numerous strategies outlined in Alexandria’s 2025 Children and Youth Master Plan and Alexandria City Public Schools’ 2025 Strategic Plan.
FISCAL IMPACT: This grant does not require any City match or ongoing resource commitment. The CSU Crime Prevention Team will develop resources needed to sustain the program beyond the two-year grant cycle, to include unpaid mentors and new non-City funding sources.
STAFF:
Yon Lambert, Deputy City Manager
Jean Kelleher, Interim Deputy City Manager
Sarah Taylor, Assistant City Manager and Legislative Director
Joanna Anderson, City Attorney
Linda Odell, Court Service Unit
Luke Daniele, Court Service Unit
Cindy Catlett, Court Service Unit