|
Gads Hill Center provides full-time mentorship and advocacy services to 100 at-risk youth who have been referred by Chicago Public Schools.
Based at Thomas Kelly High School in the Brighton Park neighborhood, the mission of the Building Leaders Program is to reduce and prevent community violence while reintegrating disengaged youth into a culture of personal empowerment and academic achievement. Student participants meet weekly for one-on-one and group mentoring opportunities. Additionally, the program coordinates monthly community service projects in and around the neighborhood, like volunteering at a local food pantry or homeless shelter.
Mentors also serve as advocates for the youth in the community as well as the school setting. The theme of the program is social justice awareness and action. Students who participate are expected to engage their community in a proactive fashion and work hard for positive change, both at the individual and societal levels.
|
