Making a Kinnection

The Ministry of Children and Family Development has taken steps to support youth in care and invest in their future by announcing the Kinnections youth mentorship program for youth ages 15 to 19 in continuing care. Here’s how the program came about.

First, current and former youth in care were consulted and together they identified three key elements they would like to establish in a youth mentorship program.

1. That mentors be volunteers and not paid to support young people’s lives.
2. The youth voice be acknowledged, understood and considered in planning services for them.
3. That proper supports be determined to provide the best possible opportunity for successful mentoring partnerships.

Next, research into national and international best practices in the area of child development and mentorship programs were explored, leading to Kinnections adopting lessons learned in the area of resilience, attachment, and youth development. Specifically, the program adopted Dr. Martin Brokenleg’s Circle of Courage, as its foundation. The Circle of Courage identifies four areas for positive youth development:

• Belonging – having a sense of connection to everyone you know
• Independence – learning respect and teaching inner discipline through problem solving and personal responsibility
• Mastery – observing and listening to those with more experience to achieve greater competence
• Generosity – helping others, allowing youth to create their own proof of worthiness by making a positive contribution to another human life

Combining the youth wish list and research, Kinnections is designed to be youth centered and encourage lifelong connections through mentorship. Kinnections begins by mapping out with youth any positive people who are, or may have once been, in their active network to approach as prospective mentors. Where youth cannot identify anyone appropriate, the program coordinator reviews the youth’s personality, goals and life experience with that of pre-screened mentors to suggest the best possible match.

Taking the program a step further, the eligibility age allows former youth in continuing care, at age 19, to self refer to the program and for youth mentor matches to be supported beyond the age of 19. At the end of the day the goal is to create a community of support for young people starting with a lifelong connection to at least one person.

To ensure the youth voice remains integrated with Kinnections, youth are being incorporated in the evaluation of the program’s first year and included in an advisory council that reviews mentorship best practices and proposes further program adjustments. The Federation of BC Youth in Care Networks and the MCFD Youth Advisory Council are also supporters of this program.

The Kinnections pilot project is being implemented in partnership with contracted agencies Urban Native Youth Association in Vancouver, PLEA in Maple Ridge/Ridge Meadows, and Pacific Community Resource Society in Surrey, Delta, Langley, and White Rock (please visit http://www.mcf.gov.bc.ca/foster/kinnections.htm for a full list of the eligibility requirements by community).

Currently, Kinnections has 11 active youth mentor matches. If referred youth are unable to identify someone appropriate to be their mentor, there are approximately 15 pre-screened mentors with amazing skills and energy waiting to be matched in mentorship with youth in continuing care.

If you have questions about Kinnections, please visit the web page or send an email to Jules Wilson at mcf.kinnections@gov.bc.ca. We thank our growing ranks of supporters and look forward to updating you soon!