Washtenaw Youth Mentoring Coalition

By: Brandon Seng, Michigan Nonprofit Association

For AmeriCorps member Anna Dusbiber, mentoring has always been a part of life. According to Dusbiber, there is no better mentoring match than an adult who has walked in the shoes of the youth they mentor. As a co-founder of the Youth Program at the Ann Arbor Center for Independent Living (AACIL), she works to provide unique mentoring opportunities to youth with disabilities. The depth of her commitment to the field goes unmatched, because for Dusbiber, mentoring is an experience that has come full circle.

“I was a mentee at the AACIL before there was an official mentoring program,” said Dusbiber. “My mentor inspired me to live independently, and made a huge impact on my life. I have since been providing real life advice and experience to others through mentoring.”

Anna is certified as a peer counselor through the AACIL, and previously served for two years mentoring first year students at Eastern Michigan University as an upperclass student, prior to her graduation. She currently serves as a mentor through the AACIL Youth Mentoring Program, guiding 14-21 year olds in their transition toward independent living.
The AACIL Youth Mentoring Program matches youth with disabilities with mentors who share a similar or the same disability, and has shown great success. With 16 youth currently matched, mentors have a deep understanding of the challenges their mentees face, and are able to provide first hand experience to support them.

Inspired by the success of their youth program, the AACIL is now leading an effort to advance the mentoring movement and provide all the youth in Washtenaw County with access to a mentor. Jen Chapin-Smith, Washtenaw’s Community Mentorship Coordinator, and Dusbiber have worked side by side to develop what is being called the Washtenaw Youth Mentoring Coalition. This coalition brings 24 youth serving organizations within Washtenaw County together to more effectively match youth in the area with mentors.

“By connecting all of the mentoring and youth serving organizations in Washtenaw County, we have developed one go-to place for those interested in finding or becoming a mentor,” said Jen Chapin-Smith. “We hope to soon grant every youth in Washtenaw, Livingston and Monroe Counties access to a mentor.”

This coalition can be considered the hub of mentoring for Washtenaw County. With a membership that together serves the whole community, the coalition is ensuring that all of Washtenaw’s youth are given an equal voice.

“We are lucky there is a countywide coalition to support mentoring,” said Dusbiber. “I would like to see other CIL’s in the state duplicate this effort, because it has been so successful.”

The Ann Arbor CIL is the fourth oldest CIL in the world. With more than 30 years of service, it is part of the early Disability Rights Movement that continues to campaign for full equality and inclusion for people with disabilities. To learn more about the AACIL visit www.aacil.org. For more on the Washtenaw Youth Mentoring Coalition, and to become a mentor yourself, visit www.washtenawmentoring.org.

*Reprinted with permission from Michigan Nonprofit Association. For more information, visit www.MNAonline.org. Text may not be reproduced without written permission from Michigan Nonprofit Association.