Children of Incarcerated Parents
Children of Incarcerated Parents
Children of Incarcerated Parents
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—chapter two—<br />
HOW AMACHI WORKS<br />
Amachi is a straightforward and<br />
highly focused program: through a partnership <strong>of</strong> secular and faith-based institutions,<br />
volunteers recruited from congregations mentor children <strong>of</strong> prisoners.The<br />
model was developed from research findings on the benefits <strong>of</strong> mentoring and<br />
the potential <strong>of</strong> inner-city congregations to address some <strong>of</strong> the significant challenges<br />
facing their communities—including findings about both practices that<br />
work and those that are less likely to be successful.<br />
Research on mentoring has shown that positive outcomes occur only when<br />
matches meet regularly for at least a year and that solid program infrastructure is<br />
necessary for this to occur. Strong mentoring relationships do not happen automatically.Well-planned,<br />
well-run programs—programs that carefully screen, train,<br />
monitor, and support mentors so the matches are able to develop and endure—<br />
have positive effects. However, poorly implemented mentoring programs are less<br />
likely to produce such benefits. 10<br />
Similarly, while inner-city congregations are potentially vital sources <strong>of</strong> volunteers<br />
who can help bring about positive changes in their communities, their<br />
involvement will not happen automatically. Members <strong>of</strong> those congregations<br />
respond to the leadership <strong>of</strong> their pastors. If the leadership is passive concerning<br />
community involvement, the congregation will be passive as well. However, if<br />
the leadership is committed—if it sees the issue being addressed as meaningful<br />
and directly connected to the church’s mission, and conveys that message to the<br />
congregation—members will respond. 11<br />
HOW AMACHI WORKS 7