BOYS TO MEN MENTORING NETWORK OF VIRGINIA INC

BTMVA works with middle schools, high schools, churches, and other community organizations that serve youth to build a community of mentorship for young men. The goal is to give young men a variety of positive male role models who show up consistently and tell the truth about their struggles as men. We focus on young men aged 12-17 with an emphasis on middle school boys, as this is traditionally a time when boys are still impressionable and open to new ideas. Mentors help young men figure out what kind of an adult man he wants to be, praise him for his gifts, support him when he makes mistakes, and encourage him to make good choices on his path to manhood. The desire is for this to be learned from a positive role model verses someone on the street corner (e.g. gang member or peer). Young men in the program typically come from a single parent-figure household (e.g. mother, grandmother or aunt). They are referred to the program by parents, mental health professionals, teachers and counselors, the court system, social workers, peers and word of mouth.