KANKAKEE, IL – The Kankakee County State’s Attorney’s Office is now recognized as an AmeriCorps Service Site for our region and has been awarded $182,000.00 to support its Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) for at-risk, court-involved youth in Kankakee County.
JUMP is a program that partners the State’s Attorney’s Office with the Kankakee Area YMCA, the Kankakee County Chamber of Commerce, Juvenile Probation, local employers and volunteer mentors. These funds will support the State’s Attorney’s efforts at the intervention stage of juvenile delinquency with the goal of improving long-term outcomes, reducing truancy and changing the path of the juvenile’s future.
This grant will fund up to 21 positions: 18 part-time mentor advocates; 2 full-time court liaisons; and 1 full-time Assistant Program Coordinator. The positions will be posted and interviews will begin in late July, with a Program kickoff date to correspond with the start of the upcoming 2019-2020 school year. Those placed into these paid positions will receive a grant-funded stipend along with an AmeriCorps college tuition voucher of up to $6,000.00. Volunteer mentors will also be eligible for the tuition voucher. These vouchers are awarded in addition to the grant funding of $182,000.00.
JUMP is currently recruiting volunteer mentors and scheduling orientation and training sessions. Mentors must complete an extensive background check and interview process, and complete all training sessions, before being matched with a mentee. To apply to be a volunteer mentor, interested individuals should submit their contact information at www.K3SAO.com/JUMP or email Jim Rowe at JRowe@K3County.net.
