7th Generation Mentoring Program for Court-Involved Tribal Youth

This project is designed to address high rates of juvenile delinquency in American Indian and Alaskan Native (AI/AN) communities by providing mentors for court-involved youth.

The 7th Generation staff, some of whom live in Indian country, will assist six tribes as they train up to 180 AI/AN mentors and match them with up to 180 AI/AN court-involved youth. Staff will work with the tribes to customize two effective Indian-developed approaches for mentoring youth:

1. Strong Circle of Relatives–A culturally specific, one-on-one mentoring program based on traditional tribal kinship relationships. This program trains mentors to help youth understand the tribal history, culture, and value systems that have guided their people for generations.
2. Sons and Daughters of Tradition–A prevention education program that uses traditional teachers to help AI/AN youth develop a sense of cultural identity that leads to positive choices.