What is the Amachi Mentoring Initiative?

The Amachi mentoring initiative is a collaborative effort between Big Brothers Big Sisters, Public Private Ventures, the Corporation for National & Community Service, local churches, local schools, and the Center for Research on Religion in Urban Civil Society at the University of Pennsylvania. Amachi is a straightforward and highly focused program. Based on the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring model, volunteers are recruited from congregations and matched with children who have an incarcerated parent. The single risk factor of having an incarcerated parent significantly increases the likelihood that a child will be incarcerated at some point in their life. The Amachi mentoring program was developed to provide a different path for these children by establishing the consistent presence of loving, caring people of faith into their lives. Each of the Amachi mentors, who often live and worship in the same neighborhood as the children, meet weekly with a child who has been carefully matched to them. Amachi's hope is that mentoring by these loving, caring adults will significantly improve life's opportunities for the child.

Why are AmeriCorps VISTA Members needed?

AmeriCorps VISTA Members serve in four different capacities which support the Amachi program. Coordinator of Performance Data Analysis and Reporting (1 Member)-will develop data in ways that support program management, training, funding sources, PR & evaluation. Coordinator of Training Curriculum Development & Delivery (1 Member)- develop training curriculum resources for mentors, and assist in publicizing program. Faith-Based Match Liaison (2 members)- will work with faith leaders/congregational staff to identify potential volunteers, correctional facilities, to develop recruitment, training, retention and volunteer recognition activities.

Amachi has sites in the following  geographic locations-AK, AZ, DC, GA, IL, MD, MA, MI, MN, MS, MO, NJ, NY, NC, ND, OH, OR, PA, SD, TX, VA, WA, WI

For more information, contact Nancy Lewis at nlewis@ppv.org