“He ain't heavy, he’s my brother" : the influence of a culturally specific mentoring program for at-risk Black and Latino college-bound male youth.

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Access changed 12/19/23.

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Abstract

The widening achievement gap between Black and Latino male students, when compared to their White peers, is a phenomenon that continues to garner the attention of urban communities on local and national levels. The number of young Black and Latino males involved in crime and the prison system continues to rise. These young men face a variety of societal factors that cause a cycle of missed opportunities that can be overcome with the right guidance and intervention tailored to meet their needs. Consequently, Black and Latino males who do graduate from high school are less ready for college than other groups. Nonprofit mentoring programs, like The Chauncy Glover Project (CGP), address these gaps by supporting male youth of color in reaching their full potential.

This study provides an example of what it looks like when Black and Latino male youth have the opportunity to overcome perceived barriers to success and improve their livelihood. This qualitative case study highlights the experiences of Black and Latino males who participate in The Chauncy Glover Project, a formal mentoring program for at-risk males of color, and its influence in preparing these young men to graduate from high school and successfully enroll in a two or four-year college or university. This study informs future stakeholders of The Chauncy Glover Project on the effectiveness of mentoring programs, specifically those that target Black and Latino males who have potential but lack the guidance and support to achieve success after high school graduation. This study builds upon the theories of culturally relevant pedagogy and culturally relevant care to offer an understanding of the experiences of young men of color who participate in a formal mentoring program. Additionally, the findings provide insight into the implementation of both a group and one-on-one mentoring model, as well as other culturally specific strategies to empower young men of color to reach success through formal mentoring programs.

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Mentoring. Race. Identity. Academic achievement. Education. Achievement gap. Cultural. Intervention. Youth empowerment. High school. Programs.

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