Mayor Brett Smiley Announces Nearly $1 Million to Support Youth Mentoring Programs

Thursday, October 3

Mayor Brett P. Smiley today joined Councilman Juan Pichardo and President and CEO of MENTOR Rhode Island Jeanine Achin to announce a $990,000 American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) investment towards programming and initiatives that support youth mentoring across the city. This funding will expand quality mentorship programming that provides Providence youth with the supports, opportunities and guidance they need to reach their full potential, further bolstering Providence's multi-pronged efforts to support students outside of the classroom. In collaboration with the City of Providence, MENTOR Rhode Island will utilize this funding to administer Relationships at the Center, an initiative that will support 20 community organizations and serve more than 1,000 youth.

"We are committed to building a supportive environment for our young people," said Mayor Brett Smiley. "These mentoring programs are critically important for helping our youth form strong connections with trusted adults. Through this initiative, we are opening doors for every young person to grow and reach their full potential."

The 20 community-based mentoring programs that make up the Relationships at the Center initiative will serve more than 1,000 youth, ages 9 to 24, providing support and guidance for Providence youth across the city. Programs will start as early as this month and will continue through 2025, using various mentoring models, including peer, group and one-on-one mentoring. This will allow young people to engage with mentors in familiar spaces and schools throughout Providence.

"Providence's future is closely tied to how we invest in our young people," said City Council Pro Tempore and Ward 9 Councilman Juan M. Pichardo. "This infusion of funds will enable us to support organizations across the city who are working tirelessly to help youth make meaningful connections and to the develop leadership skills integral to success. This is how we build better empowered stewards for our city."

In addition to mentoring, many programs will offer academic support and skill development to youth and MENTOR Rhode Island will offer technical assistance to each community organization to ensure that best practices are implemented in their mentoring programs. This support started this month, with a two-day orientation where community organizations came together at the Providence Public Library to prepare for this important work.

"We believe every individual can expand their possibilities through supportive, caring relationships," said Jeanine Achin, President and CEO of MENTOR Rhode Island. "Potential is universal, but opportunity is not. Truancy, violence, and socio-emotional challenges further limits opportunities for many of our young people. With this incredible investment by the city, MENTOR Rhode Island will assist 20 Providence youth-serving programs in implementing or expanding their quality mentoring practices. We believe that through this financial support and community of practice, more than 1,000 youth, across the city, will experience the positive, life-changing impacts of having a mentor."

This significant investment in Providence youth underscores the City's commitment to providing essential programs that support our students beyond the classroom, ensuring their success as we prepare to return to local control. By engaging parents, guardians, teachers and community members, the City is developing support network to elevate the mentoring journey. The relationships created through this program will not only benefit the youth of Providence, but will also positively impact the mentors, offering them an opportunity to engage with and learn from our youth.