Friends of the Children working to end racial inequities in outcomes for Black, Indigenous kids
MINNEAPOLIS -- Outcomes for Black and Indigenous children in Minnesota are some of the most inequitable in the country. Child welfare and juvenile justice system involvement, homelessness, and the impact of trauma affect their daily lives, something a new long-term mentorship program is determined to change.
A long-term mentorship organization is expanding to the Twin Cities. Friends of the Children pairs 4- to 6-year-olds with a paid mentor for 12 years, with their focus on children and families impacted by the child welfare and justice systems.
"Anywhere that there are kids, I mean, there is a need for mentors," Kyrra Rankine, new board chair for Friends of the Children, said. "The friends are full-time paid mentors and we ask those friends to make a minimum commitment of three years. So over the arc of the program, the lifetime of the young person ideally, they have three to four friends in New York. Some kids had the same friend for 12 years."
Friends spend four hours a week at school, at home, and in the community. Northside native Brett Buckner is Friends of the Family's new executive director.
"We work also with the parents to provide those necessary support and services, as well. So it's making a major difference on stabilizing that family and =connecting them to opportunities for them to be successful," Buckner said.
In the program's 30 years, he says 92% of graduates go to college, serve our country or enter the workforce, and 93% remain free from the juvenile justice system.
"We see some amazing life changes," he said.
Friends of the Children will work with other organizations to identify kids who could benefit from the program.
"We'll start working with the county system as well. We want to end recidivism for foster care we want to reunify families," Buckner said.
Friends of the Children has more than two dozen chapters across nearly 20 states and Tribal nations. They are looking for quality friends to mentor kids.