This is a brief mentoring intervention for adolescents involved in the criminal justice system with the aim of preventing recidivism and offering opportunities for social reintegration.
The program operates according to the TEAM (Theoretically Engaging Activities in Mentoring) model for youth mentoring relationships. In addition, the program’s theoretical framework is also strongly influenced by the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) model. For this reason, several initiatives incorporate intervention elements related to the “Peaceful Alternatives to Difficult Situations” model, which uses CBT techniques to help young people reduce conflict and build prosocial skills.
The intervention begins with a family assessment of the young people referred to the program, so that the technical team can develop an intervention plan that meets the beneficiaries’ needs with the support of informal partners, such as family members, community leaders, local church leaders, among others.
The adolescents are monitored by compatible mentors who seek to establish secure mentoring links in the family environment through weekly meetings for four to six months. Mentoring activities consist of supporting the completion of schoolwork at home, participation in community services, job search, and participation in recreational activities.