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.

Information about each of our programs is below.  Click on the titles to visit their websites.

Casa Chirilagua focuses on using the power of relational bridge building to holistically transform communities. A Christian non-profit based in the Latino neighborhood of Chirilagua/Arlandria which boosts confidence in academic skills and improves students' well-being.  Serves 1st to 8th graders.

Community Lodgings offers group mentoring in a safe, supportive, creative, and fun environment where students learn life skills, conflict resolution, and boundary-setting. Serves middle school students on Monday evenings for 1.5 hours at one of the Community Lodgings sites. 

Higher Achievement presents a rigorous year-round learning environment, caring role models, and a culture of high expectations through group mentoring/teaching, resulting in college-bound scholars with the character, confidence, and skills to succeed.  Serves 5th to 8th graders on weekday evenings at Francis Hammond Middle School.

Space of Her Own (SOHO) helps girls from under-resourced communities live healthfully, communicate openly, make good decisions, progress academically, and give back to others. Through one-on-one mentoring in a group setting, and visual arts, carpentry, and life skills classes, youth transform their bedrooms/sleeping spaces and build bright futures. Serves two different groups of 5th grade girls one on Tuesdays and the other on Wednesdays from 5:30-8:00. Mentors provide ongoing support throughout the middle school years. 

The Untouchables focuses on developing male youth into successful men who live healthy and productive lives by encouraging members to strive for excellence and to make a positive impact in the lives of those around them using group mentoring. Serves 2nd to 12th graders, at Charles Houston Recreation Center and field trips, on Thursdays from 4:30 to 5:30 pm and the occasional weekend.

Wright to Read provides volunteer-based one-on-one sustained literacy tutoring & mentoring relationships, and collaborates with families, schools and community partners to create a comprehensive support network that guides each child to success. Serves 1st to 5th graders (mentors keep cases beyond), meets at local libraries, for 1 hour a week, either after school, evening or weekend.

The Alexandria Seaport Foundation guides disadvantaged youths through a paid, work-based apprentice program serving DC, Maryland and Virginia.  Apprentices develop the discipline, self confidence, career and social skills necessary to find a meaningful place in the workforce. Serves ages 18-22.

Decoded Is a systems-based approach provides support for students by strengthening developmental assets through one-on-one mentoring, STEM learning and exposure to college and corporate community. Serves K-8th graders.

The Spitfire Club Is an extracurricular book club built around a collection of children's literature featuring strong, diverse, female protagonists. By creating demand for and building an inclusive community around diverse girl-positive books, The Spitfire Club enhances literacy and social-emotional skills, nurturing each Spitfire's love of reading, love of self, and love for Spitfires across all communities Serves 5th-8th graders.

Alexandria Tutoring Consortium Helps children learn to read.  Each volunteer works one-on-one with a struggling reader, October - May, during the school day, with customized lesson plans and lots of training and ongoing support. Serves kindergarteners and 1st graders.

4-H Alexandria Empower youths to develop their leadership, community service, and life skills by working with dedicated and caring volunteers through a “learn by doing” approach backed by Virginia Tech and Virginia State researchers. Serves K-12th graders.

The Dream Project Empowers students whose immigration status creates barriers to higher education by working with them to succeed in college through scholarships, mentoring, family engagement, and advocacy. Serves 9th-12th graders.

GoPursue empowers the future workforce by connecting students to careers and vice versa.  Our app is designed for students, by students, to help them find the right careers and network with professionals. With minority representation at the center of our mission, we ensure students have role models in every industry. Together, through personal connections and awareness, we can change the landscape of the talent pipeline to be more diverse and inclusive than ever before.  

UNCUT Youth is a mentoring and empowerment organization specializing in youth metamorphosis and transformation. By providing a safe, nurturing, and unbiased environment, UNCUT Youth helps youth uncover their best self, unlock their fullest potential to ultimately unleash them into their destiny.  Currently serves  youth ages 10-17 years old within the 5th - 12th grade.  

Building Better Futures is a dedicated after-school program focused on college & career readiness; our goal is to remove obstacles students face during their high school journey and to guide them on a path to post-secondary opportunities and success. Our programming includes monthly college tours, enrichment sessions, and one-on-one support for post-secondary planning. We serve middle and high school students in Alexandria City Public Schools. 

Building Your Power will increase school engagement and success among Alexandria City Public School students who are showing signs of disengagement from school and need extra support by providing weekly personalized interventions with trained volunteer mentors. Mentors will meet with students in grades 4-6 at James K. Polk Elementary School and Patrick Henry K-8 School during the school day starting Spring 2023. If you’re interested in learning more about becoming a Building Your Power mentor, please contact Bessy Chavarria (bessy.chavarria@alexandriava.gov) and Maddie Nance (madeline.nance@alexandriava.gov) for more information.

If you are interested in volunteering with one of the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership's partner programs, please submit a Mentor Interest Form . Submitting this form will send a referral request to the Partnership program of your choice. Once you have submitted the form, the program will contact you and provide more details on the program structure, time commitment, and background check/interview process.

For more information, contact the Alexandria Mentoring Partnership Coordinator at 703.746.4455 or mentoring@alexandriava.gov.