The Peer Corps initiative is a pilot of the MGR Foundation, building on our work in detention centers and at-risk schools and communities. High school upperclassmen, college students and adults commit to a 2-year mentoring relationship with an at-risk high school or elementary school student, or with a child exiting the juvenile justice system. The initiative is similar to the Peace Corps model, carefully vetting and training mentors, and providing them with incentives to fulfill their 2-year commitments.

The goals for Peer Corps are to see tangible progress involving reduced recidivism in participants, fewer incidents of violent behavior, better academic success and becoming productive members of society. The MGR Foundation will partner with high quality support systems for a holistic approach to address each participants needs.

Mentors are paired up with a compatible youth, either with a student in a public school system that is at risk of dropping out or of entering the juvenile justice system, or with a child that has been released from the juvenile justice system and is trying to reintegrate into the schools. The Peer Corps pilot will begin in Chicago—partnering with Chicago Public Schools, the City of Chicago, The Cook County Sherriff’s Office, Chicago Police Department and the Chicago Park District—then roll out to other MGRF cities, following with a nationwide expansion.

The MGR Foundation’s Peer Corps Pilot will help youth ages 9-17 in Cook County who have been arrested and detained reduce recidivism, lower incidents of violent behavior, increase academic successes through mentorship, nonprofit programming, activism and better support systems; helping these youth grow into productive citizens.