Mid Valley Mentors’ Juvenile Enrichment through Mentoring (JEM) program is now recruiting new clients youth ages 4 – 18 with an incarcerated parent or caregiver.

Each year more than 28,000 children and teens in Marion County are affected by parental incarceration. Four of the 14 prisons operated by Oregon Department of Corrections (ODOC) are located in Marion County. On July 1, 2010, 14,021 inmates were in the custody of ODOC statewide and 27% of inmates were housed in Marion County.

Click here to learn more about our program: Mentoring Children of Prisoners

Click Here to Refer a Youth to our Program

A survey conducted by Center on Juvenile and Criminal Justice of the inmate population of the Marion County Jail reported that 73% of surveyed offenders are parents of at least one child, while 70% of female inmates and 33% of male inmates have two or more children.

Often children and teens experience anxiety and stress about their parent’s absence and well-being while in prison. These emotional struggles can affect their emotional stability, school performance and relationships. In addition to these challenges, children and teens with incarcerated parents often fear negative stereotypes and stigmas attached to them because of their parent’s incarceration, leaving them to deal with the pressure and emotional trauma alone.

A 2002 study by Dubois, Valentine, & Harris found that mentoring promotes multiple benefits for at-risk children and teens such as a reduction in antisocial behavior, decreased drug and alcohol use, and improved school engagement evidenced by better grades, attendance, and positive attitudes toward school.

In short, tens of thousands of Marion County residents are affected by incarceration and often think they are the only ones. However, they are not
alone and organizations like Mid Valley Mentors want to help. Children and teens affected by incarceration are incredibly vulnerable and need a positive support system to help them navigate a difficult time in life.

Mid Valley Mentors adheres to evidence-based practices and exceeds quality assurance standards for mentoring programs. We do this by thoroughly screening, training and monitoring our mentors to ensure the best possible experience for the youth involved. These mentoring relationships last a minimum of 12 months as evidence-based practices show that mentors are most effective when involved with a youth for at least a year.

Our mentors tell us they get involved to make a difference in their community and inspire another individual. However, after mentoring they often tell us they are the ones who have been inspired and have received more benefit out of the relationship than they ever expected.

Know a child or teen with an incarcerated parent or caregiver?

Please refer them for mentoring, enrollment closes September 15th, so please act now. Email info@midvalleymentors.org or call 503-584-4865 for more information.