EQUIP: Elements Quality Improvement Process for Youth Mentoring Programs

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Utilization of research-based and safety-oriented program practices in the youth development field have been associated with positive youth outcomes, and quality improvement processes designed at increasing the utilization of these types of program practices have, in turn, been shown to improve practices, increase staff retention, and youth outcomes. However, rigorous application of quality improvement practices has not been systematically developed in the youth mentoring field. One barrier to the utilization of a quality improvement process was the lack of standards and benchmarks for the field, which have now been created. A second barrier is the lack of an automated, standardized, psychometrically strong assessment tool available across technology platforms for use onsite; training of program staff and certification of objective, external reviewers; and a library of resources to use in training and consultation during quality improvement planning. Through advances