A Social-­‐Justice Informed Evaluation of a Mentorship-Based Program Pairing At-Risk Youth and Holocaust Survivors

Abstract

This paper describes a social justice informed, formative evaluation of a community-based intervention program in our community that paired marginalized Latinx youth and Holocaust survivor mentors. This program is a unique effort to address the issues facing this youth population through difficult dialogues and mentorship from a group who has clearly suffered oppression. Using a qualitative, community-based approach, eight program participants were interviewed to explore the aspects of the program that were helpful or challenging among youth mentees and survivor mentors. We reflect on the success of mentorship interventions in promoting bridges of understanding between populations with different combinations of power and privilege. Emergent themes from the evaluation suggest that this community-based mentorship program led to several positive outcomes, including increased openness to diversity, increased empathy, and increased potential meaning-making for mentor survivors, as well as some challenges such as clearer program expectations and program planning issues. Using a lens of Positive Youth Development and social justice, we detail the lessons learned from this mentoring program for future counselors and psychologists interested in program development and evaluation. We also provide reflections on the formative program evaluation process for future community-based researchers and the personal impact of the experience on the students in training. Finally, we reflect on impact validity and the systems level transformative change that can be promoted through community-based programs such as this one.

“My Understanding … Has Literally Changed”: Addressing the Military-Civilian Gap with an Academic-Community Engagement Project

“…When reflecting on learning more about struggles around transitioning and physical and psychological concerns, students often remarked that this information moved them emotionally. Similar to the findings in previous research (Garcia & Frank, 2017;Morgan-Consoli et al, 2016;Vega & McHugh, 2003), 14 of the students used phrases that suggested increased empathy or sympathy. For example, two students wrote that they were now more "sensitive to" or more aware of the military veterans they encounter in their everyday lives and what these military veterans might have experienced or be experiencing.…”

“…Vega and McHugh's (2003) students ultimately found that they became emotionally connected to and invested in the people with whom they were working as well as more concerned about senior citizens in general. Similar increases in empathy and openness to new, different populations have been seen in students participating in other service-learning and community-engagement projects (Garcia & Frank, 2017;Morgan-Consoli et al, 2016).…”

“…These student-veterans' reflections show that strategies for improving understanding between civilians and those with military affiliation can be beneficial for both sides. Additionally, as Morgan-Consoli et al (2016) found in their project with Holocaust survivors and at-risk youth, these student-veterans show that academic-community engagement projects that have a focus on military topics can also be valuable learning experiences and bridging experiences for student-veterans and others affiliated with the military. Luckily for all involved, the student-veterans participating in this project approached the project and their classmates with an open mind.…”

“…If student-veterans were enrolled in this course, this was seen as an added benefit for the insight they might provide, if they were willing to self-identify, and for their potential to help improve their civilian classmates' understanding. Additionally, there was a hope that any enrolled student-veterans would have an opportunity to learn about experiences in the military or dispositions of affiliated individuals that may differ from their own since some research also finds that partner participants in academic-community engagement projects report positive changes in their perspectives and understandings of those with identities different from their own (Morgan-Consoli, et al, 2016). Thus, the initial goal of improving understanding about the military seemed equally applicable to civilian and military-affiliated students.…”