The Alexandria Mentoring Partnership's mission is to unite mentoring programs across the City to expand access to high-quality mentoring for Alexandria’s youth. We support this mission by fostering program development, building organizational capacity, strengthening community partnerships, and providing targeted support through diverse mentor recruitment and best practices training. We envision an Alexandria where every child who seeks guidance has a caring mentor by their side.

In 2006, a series of community meetings revealed a consistent theme: Alexandria’s youth needed more positive adult role models. This message echoed at the City’s Gang Awareness Summit, where over 600 attendees emphasized the importance of mentoring, and again at the Alexandria Community Services Board's annual hearing, where residents and youth testified to the life-changing potential of strong mentorship.

At the time, mentoring programs across the City operated independently with little coordination. To unify and strengthen these efforts, community leaders, City staff, school officials, and nonprofit partners came together to form the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership (AMP). The City’s Gang Prevention Coordinator initially served as the AMP Coordinator.

As the need grew, the City created a full-time AMP Coordinator position in 2021. This role enabled the development of key initiatives, including a centralized referral system, a citywide awareness campaign, and a quality assurance model based on national best practices.

Today, AMP supports over 700 mentoring relationships each year, partnering with schools, nonprofits, faith-based groups, City agencies, businesses, and local residents. Mentors commit to just one hour a week for one year, but the impact lasts a lifetime.

Our programs offer a variety of mentoring formats—one-to-one or group-based, academic or activity-focused, on-site or community-based—serving students from elementary through high school. At the core of every AMP program is the belief that every child in Alexandria who needs a mentor should have one.

Learn how you can get involved:

Become a Mentor

Our mentoring programs vary in structure, though the standard minimum requirements for mentors include an application, criminal background check, and the ability to commit for at least one hour, once a week, for one year.

Mentoring takes many forms:

• One-to-one mentoring or group mentoring
• On-site or community-based mentoring
• Academic or activity-based mentoring
• Elementary, middle school, or high school mentoring

At the heart of all the AMP programs lies a common belief that mentoring positively impacts youth development and that every child in the City of Alexandria who needs a mentor should have one.

View all AMP Programs

Mentoring works—and mentors agree.

Ninety-six percent of mentors recommend the experience to others. As a nationally recognized best practice, mentoring significantly reduces the risk of crime, gang involvement, teen pregnancy, drug use, and academic failure. Youth with mentors are more likely to graduate, make healthier choices, strengthen relationships with adults and peers, and develop essential social and emotional skills.

Build Community

Mentoring is a powerful way to give back and strengthen your community. By supporting a child’s growth and development, you’re also investing in a stronger, more connected Alexandria. Every empowered, supported child has the potential to uplift others—creating a ripple effect of care, confidence, and opportunity.

Inspire Youth

Mentors help shape the leaders of tomorrow. By offering guidance during a child’s most formative years, you provide the support, perspective, and encouragement that can influence the course of their future. Your mentorship can be the spark that helps a young person grow into a confident, capable adult.

The Power of Impact

You don’t need a cape to be a hero. As a mentor, the time you invest brings encouragement, confidence, and purpose to a young person’s life—and transforms yours in the process. Few things are more rewarding than knowing you've made a lasting difference, and no praise is more genuine than the admiration of a child.

Growing Together

As a mentor, you’ll have the incredible privilege of experiencing a child’s curiosity and refreshing honesty. While every journey has its ups and downs, the moments of growth and discovery will be truly rewarding. Watching your mentee learn something new or experience a milestone for the first time will fill you with pride and joy, making every step of the journey worthwhile.

Connect with Like-Minded Individuals

Becoming a mentor opens the door to a network of service-oriented community members. Through information sessions, training, and events, you'll connect with others who share your passion for making a difference. Some mentoring programs even offer group-based mentoring, giving you the chance to bond with fellow mentors and enrich your experience together.

Ready to learn more?

Apply Now

Alexandria Tutoring Consortium:

The Alexandria Tutoring Consortium has over 300 volunteers who work one-on-one with students, tutoring them in reading and building their confidence.
 
One kindergarten Book Buddy had such an excellent tutoring session that he asked to borrow that day’s book. When his tutor asked why, he said he wanted to read the book to his classmates. His friends sat on the carpet while he projected his book on the screen and read them a story.
 
THIS is the confidence and pride that a one-on-one relationship can build. THIS is what makes the world a better place.

Space of Her Own (SOHO):

When a Black Hawk helicopter fatally collided with American Airlines Flight 5342, hundreds of Alexandria’s emergency responders raced to the scene. After the around-the-clock recovery effort, SOHO mentors stepped up to honor & support these community heroes.

SOHO strives to provide trauma-informed mentoring and foster the emotional safety needed to process and heal from trauma in a supportive group atmosphere. It was our honor to extend this mission to AFD heroes.

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Wright to Read:

Mentors:

• “My student was really engaged with this project this summer, reading more books than he was required to! And (miraculously) he has agreed to read his poem from [the WTR literary magazine] this spring at the Welcome Event. This is a big step for him!  He has also been enrolled in all of the honors courses for this school year, so he has really progressed from when he first started Wright to Read.” – WTR Tutor-Mentor.
• “My student is always…ready to show or tell me something important to her. Working with her is pure joy and fun!” – WTR Tutor-Mentor.

Mentees:

• “You’re the greatest because you’re kind, patient, and nice. I appreciate you helping me with over 19 books! You help me understand when I’m struggling with words… I will never forget you!!!” – WTR Student.
• “My mentor makes me feel like Albert Einstein.” – WTR Student
• “Wright to Read mentors are important because, from my personal experience, this has been life-changing.” – WTR Student

• ACT for Alexandria
• Alexandria Boys and Girls Club
• Alexandria City Public Schools
• Alexandria Community Services Board
• Alexandria Community Trust
• Alexandria Court Service Unit
• Alexandria Parks and Recreation
• Building Momentum
• Capital Alumni Network
• Center for Alexandria's Children
• City of Alexandria
• Give Back Alexandria
• MENTOR Maryland/DC
• MENTOR Virginia
• MentorPrize
• Northern Virginia Family Services
• The Alexandria Jaycees
• The Campagna Center
• The Substance Abuse Prevention Coalition of Alexandria
• Together We Bake

If you are interested in collaborating as a supporter of AMP, please contact the AMP coordinator by email at mentoring@alexandriava.gov or call 703.746.4455.

Other Volunteer Opportunities:

• Alexandria Tutoring Consortium
• Volunteer Alexandria

• Creating a Quality Community-Based Mentoring Program
• Risk Management and Youth Safety Components for Mentoring and Youth-Serving Programs
• The ABCs of School-Based Mentoring
• Tips for Recruiting and Retaining Mentors
• Guide to Mentoring Boys and Young Men of Color
• E-Mentoring Supplement to the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring

• Becoming a Better Mentor: Strategies to Be There for Young People
• Training New Mentors

• 4 S's Interview
• Activities Catalog for Mentors and Mentees
• Experience Mentor Toolkit
• Mentoring Fact Sheet
• Gender Specific Mentor Fact Sheet
• Goal Setting Guide
• K-12 Journey Map
• Responding to Disclosures of Sexual Violence as a Mentor
• The Mentor Guide to Youth Purpose
• Trauma Resource Guide