Non Technical Summary
Youth in Indiana mirror the challenges youth face nationally including the largest drop in math and reading schools in 50 years, 1 in 5 youth living with a mental health disorder and alarming levels of negativity about themselves, their confidence in the future, and their ability to find contentment in life. Rural youth involved in the juvenile justice system face additional challenges to equip them with career and life skills. Purdue Extension's 4-H youth development program has a legacy of equipping youth for success through career exploration in the 4-H positive youth development program.The proposed project will target youths in grades 8-12 who are at-risk or already involved in the juvenile justice system in a key rural area of the state. Over three years, 20-35 mentors will engage 60-75 mentees. Through robust programming combined with partners to assist with identification of youth, Purdue Extension aims for positive outcomes of increased self-concept, educational engagement, and career readiness, with anticipated higher post-secondary enrollment rates compared to the general population. Mentors will be trained to follow Indiana's Career Coach and Navigation framework, focusing on career opportunities and skills acquisition. Expected outcomes for mentors include improved communication and relationship-building skills, understanding youth protection policies, and using tools like Indiana Career Explorer for career pathway exploration. The project employs both school-based and community-based mentoring, supplemented by the 4-H Next Chapter clubs and a summer experience program. The mentoring model is informed by effectiveness practices and aims to foster autonomy and self-determination in youth.

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
806	6010	3020	50%
806	6050	3020	50%

Knowledge Area
806 - Youth Development;

Subject Of Investigation
6010 - Individuals; 6050 - Communities, areas, and regions;

Field Of Science
3020 - Education;

Goals / Objectives
Purdue Extension will identify and train 20-35 unique adult mentors who will work with 60-75 unique youth mentees across the three-year period. The target audience is youth in Lawrence, Owen, and Monroe counties in Indiana, grades 8-12 who are juvenile justice involved, at-risk of juvenile justice involvement and/or rural.

Project Methods
Mentee Identification, Recruitment, Selection and Management: Due to the confidential nature of the work our community partners do with Lawrence, Owen, and Monroe County youth, Mentees in grades 8 through 12 will be individually identified only to the primary organization through which they are receiving services. Methods of identifying those youth who participate will include: referral throughcourt and / or child protection services in each of the counties, Owen County Boys and Girls Club, and Lawrence, Owen, and Monroe County 4-H. Youth receiving services through these organizations will all meet one or more of the three criteria for this proposal: juvenile justice involved, at-risk for juvenile justice involvement, and rural. A project coordinator will be hired at 60% time to oversee the process of menteeidentification, recruitment, selection, and management. This role will also be responsible for Mentor Training.Work Plan: Marketing and Promotion: Collaborate with Indiana 4-H marketing team to maintain web page and social media posts promoting Career Discovery Mentors and 4-H Next Chapter. Add pictures of cornerstone activities and events (with youth withsigned photo releases) to these platforms as program is implemented. Distribute press releases announcing programs through Extension Offices in Indiana's 92 counties (Project Director and Project Coordinator).Months 1-6: Preparation Phase: Recruit, select, and train Project Coordinator (PI and Project Director); Adapt Career Discovery Mentor training and 4-H Next Chapter curriculum as needed for expanded audience (Program Director); Confirm relationships with key partners in the three county area (Project Director and Project Coordinator); Recruit, screen, select, and train Career Discovery Mentors and 4-H Next Chapterfacilitators and volunteers (Project Coordinator); Identify and secure locations for mentoring sessions (Program Coordinator); Collaborate with partner organizations and schools to identify and recruit youth in grades 8 through 12 to participate (ProjectCoordinator); Organize and meet quarterly with partner organization representatives and all staff (PIs and Project Coordinator); Identify any technology needs / access issues and collaborate with partners to resolve (Program Coordinator); Conduct Parent/Guardianinformational meeting (Project Coordinator); Make appropriate matches of mentors to mentees and hold initial mentoring sessions (all staff, including mentors and mentees). Continue these activities ongoing as new mentors, mentees, schools, and other partnersexpress interest.Months 7-12: monitor mentor/mentee session schedule to assure minimum sessions and minutes are occurring (Program Coordinator); trouble shoot any identified problems and make necessary adjustments (Program Director, Program Coordinator in collaborationwith partners and other staff); invite mentees to participate in 4-H Next Chapter club activities and / or 4-H Next Chapter Summer Experience (Program Director and Program Coordinator); monitor and respond to feedback from families, all participants, partners, and staff (Program Director).Months 13-36: Continue activities of previous 12 months making appropriate adjustments based on feedback from staff, participants, partners, and families. Activities will synchronize with the academic calendar, offering mentoring sessions monthly, 4-H Next Chapter Activities four times per semester and a Summer Experience.