Children of Incarcerated Parents

Importantly, the system of accountability was also public. Pastors received a
monthly detailed report for their congregation; and at the same time, they
received a report on how often, and for how many hours, mentors at each of the
other Amachi churches met, on average, with their mentees.Thus, they were
able to measure their congregation’s achievements and challenges against those
of every other congregation and gauge their success within the context of the
entire project.
Because of its well-defined model and early indications of success, Amachi has
attracted a great deal of interest across the country from government officials
and secular and faith-based organizations. Locally, the project has already begun
to expand.There are now 50 churches involved in the Philadelphia Amachi; and
the program in nearby Chester, also a partnership with BBBS Southeastern
Pennsylvania, is currently operating through three churches, with seven others in
the process of recruiting volunteers. A third Amachi project, in Brooklyn,
involves a partnership of 11 churches and Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York.
Amachi is still in the process of evolution.Through a partnership with the Mid-
Atlantic Network of Family & Youth Services, the Church Volunteer Coordinators
in Philadelphia have become part-time AmeriCorps members.This shift has provided
them with opportunities for additional training and, to a degree, strengthened
and expanded their role within their church’s Amachi program.
As it moves into its next phase in Philadelphia, Amachi is also undergoing a
structural modification. Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania will
be assuming responsibility for its management, although the original Amachi
director will continue in that role to provide leadership and a strong connection
to the congregations. As part of this structural change, the Community Impact
Director role—an important element in getting the project up and running
locally—will be merged into the BBBS Mentor Support Coordinator position.
These changes are intended, among other things, to strengthen direct communication
between the partners and increase efficiency, while keeping in place the
solid structure that has contributed to the project’s successes to date.
As Amachi expands to additional sites around the country, those communities
will also need to adapt the model to best meet the particular characteristics of
their local circumstances, while retaining the key elements that have contributed
CONCLUSION 43