I Am My Brother's Keeper

About the Program

Category: Human Services (Best in Category)

Year: 2018

I Am My Brother’s Keeper is an asset-based, collective impact initiative designed to help close opportunity gaps for boys and young men of color living on the South Side of Columbus. The core goals are simple, taken straight from the national My Brother’s Keeper initiative: 1) help the boys graduate from high school ready for college and a career and 2) reduce violence and provide a second chance. I Am My Brother’s Keeper takes a two-generation, holistic approach to achieving those goals, meeting twice a week year-round to create a “web of support” for the boys and their families. The program combines education, mentorship, experiential learning, career training, social-emotional development services and much more. Since its inception in late 2014, more than 125 boys ages 8-17 have taken participated in the I Am My Brother’s Keeper including more than 70 who are currently enrolled. Ninety-nine percent of active participants have avoided contact with law enforcement while data the Learning Circle early warning intervention system has also demonstrated improvements in behavior and core academics.