Friends of the Children

The Generational Change Model Research has shown that the single most important factor for building resiliency in children who face the highest risks is a long-term, consistent relationship with a caring adult. THE MODEL ONE We select the children facing the highest risks. Our children are statistically at serious risk of continuing the cycle of poverty in their own lives. 60% have parents who did not graduate high school. 50% of our youth have parents who were incarcerated. 85% of our youth were born to a teen parent. TWO We employ and train salaried, professional mentors called Friends. Moving mentorship out of the volunteer realm is a key component to getting the quality, consistency and commitment that our children need. Several of our Friends have been with us for 20 years; the average tenure is over 7 years. THREE We commit for the long term. We commit to every child for the long term, from kindergarten through graduation. 12.5 years. No matter what. FOUR We focus on the complete transformation of each child. Each child gets a dedicated, one-on-one Friend who spends a minimum of 16 intentional hours per month with them. We develop a road map for each child and design activities to build life skills. We create meaningful experiences to explore each child’s unique talents and interests. Friends of the Children has developed nine research-based Core Assets, which are specific qualities we focus on to ensure the social and emotional development of our youth. FIVE We work in and with the child's community. Friends spend time in each child’s home, school, neighborhood, and community. They are able to provide continuity in these often unstable environments and serve as a link between the different facets of the child’s life. This means we advocate for children at their school and become someone their family trusts in emergencies. SIX We evaluate, measure, and improve. We are in an ongoing longitudinal randomized control trial conducted by researchers affiliated with the University of Washington, Princeton University, and University of Oregon. We are also assessed annually by an independent third-party evaluator. This allows us to continue to identify ways to make our program stronger. CORE ASSETS Friends of the Children has developed nine research-based Core Assets, which are specific qualities we focus on to ensure the social and emotional development of our youth. With our nine Core Assets in place, we believe our youth will enter adulthood with a solid foundation for future success. Following are the core assets we believe will help our youth achieve that. Core Assets A FRIEND IN ACTION We call our professional mentors "Friends" because it isn't just a job. They are forming meaningful relationships with our youth that last for years. This could look like: Helping a child’s math skills by counting successful free throws Helping a child find constructive outlets for stress and frustration Advocating for a special education service at a child's middle school Being the consistent adult in a child's life as they move from placement to placement in the foster care system Often, the Friend is the only person the family calls when a crisis occurs. EVIDENCE It makes economic sense. 4EBBFCAF-348E-42C6-B06A-5DE47B22D035.png The Harvard Business School Association of Oregon showed that for every $1 invested in Friends of the Children, the community benefits over $7 in saved social costs. Helping one child saves the community $900,000. Read more about our Return on Investment IT WORKS 83% of our youth graduate high school. 93% avoid the juvenile justice system. 98% avoid early parenting. OUR SCALING PLAN Demonstrate Impact: Chapters We have local chapters across the country. Each chapter has a strategic growth plan to grow by 40% over the next three years. Read more Embed the Model: Affiliates Would your organization like to become a Friends of the Children affiliate? Affiliates are established organizations with strong leadership and infrastructure that want to provide salaried, professional mentors to the highest-risk children from kindergarten through graduation, 12.5 years, no matter what. Read more Share What Works: Thought Leadership We openly share our best practices with programs and policymakers in the education, criminal justice, human services, and youth development sectors. We are focused on collaborative partnerships, presentations, conferences, and key dialogues. Read more