Inner-City Youths Helping Children: After-School Programs to Promote Bonding and Reduce Risk

Children in poverty growing up in low-income neighborhoods are at increased risk of problem behaviors, including delinquency, substance abuse, teenage pregnancy, and school dropout. The social development model suggests that promoting children's and youths' levels of bonding to prosocial units by providing opportunities, skills, and rewards can be an effective prevention strategy. This article describes an after-school program in which 54 youth mentors worked with 584 elementary and middle school children in small groups over two years. Perceptions of these mentors suggest that both the children and the mentors benefited from their participation. The authors share experiences and suggest guidelines for developing similar programs.