Across Ages is a school- and community-based substance abuse prevention program for youth ages 9 to 18. The unique feature of Across Ages is the pairing of older adult mentors (50 years and older) with young adolescents, specifically those making the transition to middle school. The overall goal of the program is to increase protective factors for high-risk students to prevent, reduce, or delay the use of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs and the problems associated with substance use.
Across Ages aims to improve youth academic performance, school attendance and behavior and attitudes. It also works to strengthen relationships with adults and peers and help youth with problem-solving and decision-making skills.
Across Ages operates by involving seniors, youth, families and communities in the following ways:
- Mentoring – older adults 50 and older are recruited from the community, trained and matched as mentors spending one-on-one time with youth.
- Community Service – youth time each week performing community service, including regular visits to elders in community nursing homes. Practice health & wellness.
- Social Competence Training – based on the Social Problem-Solving Module.
- Family Activities – monthly weekend events are held for youth, their family members and mentors and include activities that are culture-specific as well as recreational, social and sporting events.
The Across Ages program targets youth who:
- Are economically disadvantaged.
- Have had school failure.
- Have problem behavior in school.
- Have few positive adult role models.
- Have a Peer group engaged in risky behaviors.
- Live in communities with no opportunities for positive free-time activities.
- Are in kinship care due to inability of birth parents to care for them, often due to incarceration or substance use.