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TJJD Mentoring Program featured in NDTAC’s Mentoring Toolkit 2.0

AUSTIN, Texas – The National Technical Assistance Center for the Education of Neglected or Delinquent Children and Youth (NDTAC), in conjunction with the American Institute for Research, just released The Mentoring Toolkit 2.0: Resources for Developing Programs for Incarcerated Youth, and it features TJJD’s Mentoring Program. NDTAC serves as a national resource center to provide direct assistance to states, schools, communities, and parents seeking information on the education of children and youth who are considered neglected, delinquent, or at-risk.

Tammy Holland, TJJD’s manager of community, family, and chaplaincy programs, helped launch the Toolkit during a nationwide webinar for juvenile justice officials on August 31, entitled “Designing Effective Mentoring Programs for Neglected, Delinquent, and Incarcerated Youth.” Mentoring can provide the opportunity for at-risk youth and youthful offenders, who often have limited contact with positive adult role models, to form and sustain meaningful relationships.

NDTAC's Mentoring Toolkit 2.0 brings together information, program descriptions, and links to important resources that can assist staff of juvenile justice facilities and organizations to design effective mentoring programs for neglected and delinquent youth, particularly those who are incarcerated. Holland described the TJJD mentoring program design and shared lessons learned over the program’s twenty-year history.

A former TJJD youth, named Elliott, wrapped up the webinar by sharing his personal experience as a mentee. Elliott talked about how mentoring changed the trajectory of his life, leading him to become the first person in his family to go to college. His mentor, Judy Davis from the Gainesville State School, provided support to Elliott by sitting by his side during his presentation. Davis mentored Elliott for 6 months while he was at the Gainesville facility and she continues to stay connected to him. While at Gainesville, Elliott received his high school diploma and was an excellent football player. He has finished his first year of college and continues to succeed in his studies and at work.

The Toolkit concludes: “The TJJD mentoring program is a thriving program with almost 20 years of experience in providing high-quality mentoring services to incarcerated youth who are at high risk across the State of Texas. In FY 2015, 409 youth were served, and the program appears to have found a formula that provides a portfolio of mentoring options in a sustainable way. With positive outcomes related to lower rates of recidivism and higher rates of positive educational outcomes, this program offers a model that can inspire other similar programs across the United States.”

To access the Toolkit, go to https://www.neglected-delinquent.org/resource/mentoring-toolkit-20-
resources-developing-programsincarcerated-youth. For further information on TJJD’s mentoring program, please contact Tammy.Holland@tjjd.texas.gov.
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