What If ...?

Wondering what it takes to launch a successful mentoring program for youth impacted by commercial sexual exploitation of children (CSEC)? In this newly released podcast, local, and national experts share strategies and lessons learned in program development, including screening, training, and supporting mentors to ensure that youth experience healthy relationships with caring adults. Youth Collaboratory, in partnership with the Center for Combatting Human Trafficking at Wichita State University, with support from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), created this podcast to highlight the restorative power of mentoring for youth impacted by CSEC.

Join Katy White and Susan Spagnuolo as they share about their experience supporting mentoring programs across the country as they worked to implement a strength-based mentoring model. In this conversation, we share lessons that we learned when it comes to a large research project, as well as what we learned about the families involved in the project, and the incredible program staff involved in making it happen.

In earlier episodes, we’ve spent a lot of time talking about the youth and their mentors ... in this episode we want to talk more about the families, because we learned a lot of about the families impacted by incarceration through this project. Join us as we talk with Anna Hollis, Executive Director of Amachi Pittsburgh and Dr. Andrea Taylor as they share their experience and advice for seeing families impacted by incarceration in a larger systems context.

During this episode, we talk with several program staff members about how they developed a culture of growth and development - not just with mentors but among their staff, as well. With them, we explore the question of what if all of the people involved in this relationship were coming from a place of growth and development - of wanting to understand better - of wanting to mentor better?

During this episode, we talk with several program staff members about how they helped mentors to understand their role as a connection point in the mentoring relationship. With them, we explore the question of what if connection and contribution to the community is one of the primary ways that we thrive? How do we build connections - how do we find new ways to engage and connect, and how does a mentor help youth explore those opportunities?

During this episode, we talk with several program staff members about their experience integrating an intentional strength-based approach to their mentoring models. With them, we explore the question of what if strengths and things that are going well was the first conversation you had with a service provider? What if that was how people came to know your program - more than just a service provider, more than an intervention or a prevention strategy...but as someone who truly values the unique qualities of each individual?

During this episode, we had the chance to talk with Rev. Dr. W. Wilson Goode, Founder and Executive Director of the Amachi program and Anna Hollis, Executive Director of Amachi Pittsburgh about their experience mentoring children of incarcerated parents. This conversation goes deep into understanding the experience of a family impacted by incarceration and we ask the question “what if we stopped focusing on the broken parts of families but instead focus on their potential and growth, and the unique qualities that make them who they are”?

Join us for What If ...? Season 1 as we ask the questions, "What if we stopped focusing on the broken parts of young people, and instead focus on their potential and growth and the unique qualities that make them who they are? And how could a mentor and a mentoring relationship be a part of that? "