Overview:  Arches is a transformative mentoring intervention designed to serve young people whose needs go far beyond a traditional mentoring approach.  

Participant Age: 16-24

Expected Program Start Date:  July 1, 2012

Details: Arches is a group mentoring program that helps justice-involved young adults transform the attitudes and behaviors that led to their criminal activity. The Department of Probation will contract with nonprofit organizations in various communities, including each of the five Neighborhood Opportunity Network (NeON) communities to deliver Arches.

The goal is to help probation clients get out of the criminal justice system by strengthening their attachment to education, work and community. The core components of Arches include:

• A group process where the members become an important support system for each other
• A curriculum delivered by culturally appropriate mentors
• A setting that incorporates positive values, principles and practices.

The group process is central to Arches. It provides an opportunity for the participants to self-examine certain attitudes and behaviors that may be keeping them entangled in the criminal justice system.

Arches participants will gain a better understanding of personal responsibility and enhance their social skills, which will in turn improve peer relationships, self esteem, and problem-solving skills. Arches will also lead participants toward educational, vocational, and therapeutic programs. Below is a list of the organizations determined eligible for award: