Mentoring up-cycled: creating a community-based intervention for sexually abused adolescents. Issue 3 (9th September 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Williams, Javonda; Nelson-Gardell, Debra
• Is Part Of: Journal of children's services. Volume 9:Issue 3(2014)
• Page Start: 235
• Page End: 247
• Publication Date: 2014-09-09
• Subjects: Mentoring -- Children -- Sexual abuse -- Adolescents -- Community-Based Participatory Research -- Trauma sensitivity -- Community-based mentoring intervention; Child care services -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Social work with children -- Great Britain -- Periodicals; Child care services -- Periodicals; Child development -- Periodicals; Social work with children -- Periodicals; 362.705
• DOI: 10.1108/JCS-09-2013-0034
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1746-6660

Abstract

Abstract : Purpose: – The purpose of this paper is to detail a project that created a community-based mentoring intervention for sexually abused children and adolescents. The project features the use of family and community strengths, trauma sensitivity, current research and ecological theory to develop a curriculum for training mentors. Design/methodology/approach: – This study used Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) methods to create a community-based intervention designed for sexually abused children and adolescents. This model supports the building and maintenance of the often fluid and relationship-driven processes that are characteristic of CBPR. The stages included: identification of research questions; assessment of community strengths, assets and challenges; defining priorities; developing research and data collection methodologies; collecting and analysing data; interpretation of findings; dissemination of findings; and applying findings to address action. Findings: – The results include a recommendation to include community members in interventions for sexually abused adolescents. Research limitations/implications: – The results of this study include recommendations for a culturally relevant training curriculum for mentors of sexually abused children and adolescents. Hallmarks of the resulting curriculum included using a hybrid of natural and programme mentors and inclusion of trauma sensitivity in training the mentors. The results from the pilot study are not generalisable since the pilot only included a small number of mentors and the effectiveness of the intervention was not tested. Further research is needed to determine the effectiveness of the intervention. Practical implications: – The paper includes implications for further development of a mentoring curriculum for sexually abused children and adolescents. This curriculum promotes several potential benefits, including: incorporation of families and communities in discussion and awareness of sexual abuse and trauma sensitivity; and formal training for individuals who have the potential to remain important in the life of the child or adolescent long after formal services have ceased. Originality/value: – The literature shows a lack of community level interventions for sexually abused children and adolescents. The focus of this project was to expand the traditional ecological context of mentoring from a micro or individual level intervention to a community level intervention.