Reflection A: Putting Your Research Into Context

7/31/2019 Reflection A: Putting Your Research Into Context

1/5

Jackie Ader 1

REFLECTION A: Putting your Research into Context

PART I: Describe and explain your research project.

The research project I am working on this semester is called Project MENTOR. Project

MENTOR is a collaborative effort between Chicago State University (the lead institution),

Loyola University Chicago, University of Illinois Chicago, Chicago Department of Family

Support Services, and Hyde Park Academy High School. The Project MENTOR program began

in Summer, 2010, offering its services to approximately 40 African American Hyde Park

Academy High School freshman. Project MENTOR is an effort focused on the development,implementation, and evaluation of a health-focused, intensive positive youth development

program, and is primarily interested in identifying ways by which such a program can positively

impact youth at environmental and personal risk. The study follows a randomized research

design in which 40 youth are a part of the program and 40 are part of a comparison group in

order to increase the reliability of measured program effects.

The program is geared towards addressing the many challenges faced by minority

adolescents in urban, low-income communities. Adolescence is a difficult, stressful time for

everyone, but in this type of vulnerable environment adolescents are more likely to experience

violence, parental separation or absence, poor nutrition, increased health risks, and lack of

physical activity (Miller et al. 2007; Merton et al. 2009). Project MENTOR has taken the

initiative to intervene in the Woodlawn community in an effort to reduce high risk behaviors

related to these negative experiences and strengthen protective or resiliency factors in order to

empower these adolescents to succeed in life. When youth and their families have access to

appropriate supports and services, tailored to their specific circumstances and needs, resilience is


2/5

Jackie Ader 2

fostered and healthy transitions from adolescence into adulthood can occur even in these

vulnerable environments (National Research Council Institute of Medicine, 2002). Thus, the

Project MENTOR program encompasses a wide range of support resources and services to assist

the youth and families in this community.

The multi-dimensional program offered by Project MENTOR includes individualized

case-management services, group mentoring focused on building life skills, one-on-one

mentoring with college students, recreational and health-promotion activities, academic tutoring,

guidance for career and college exploration, and media and community-based research training

(DuBois et al., 2010). Participating youth receive case management, including risk-screeningassessments and service referrals. The case managers are available 24/7 and work to integrate

families into the program. The group mentoring sessions focus on personal and collective

accountability, emotional development, positive relationship building, critical thinking skills,

healthy diet and physical activity, conflict resolution, and community engagement.

At the core of the Project Mentor program is the one-on-one mentoring component.

Through this part of the program, the student participants are paired with adult volunteers

recruited from Chicago universities and the local community to provide them with positive adult

relationships. The students receive fitness coaching and assistance with healthy lifestyle

planning. This aspect of the program is primarily run through Loyola University Chicago.

In addition to the development of a mentoring relationship with an adult volunteer,

students are offered sports opportunities, such as running in a 5K race, and academic tutoring on

a weekly basis. Lastly, students participate in participatory action research projects through

which they learn leadership skills by researching, documenting, and presenting information

related to health and well-being in their community. This project is unique in its objective to,


3/5


4/5


5/5

Jackie Ader 5

research question much sooner, but I am not sure how accurate or effective this more rushed,

non-community-based research methodology is in comparison the methodology of Project

MENTOR.

Documents

Reflection A: Putting Your Research Into Context