The Butler YMCA is implementing a new youth mentoring program that includes a curriculum and outcomes for children from 8 to 15 years old.

Reach and Rise started as a pilot mentoring program by the YMCA of San Francisco, Calif., in 1992 and the YMCA of the United States has expanded it to 38 states.

The Butler YMCA evaluated the mentoring program it has run through Big Brothers Big Sisters of Butler County for 20 years and Reach and Rise for a year before deciding to transition to the new program, said Sandra Ihlenfeld, Butler YMCA executive director.

The YMCA will continue using the Big Brothers Big Sisters program until the end of the year, while it seeks youth referrals and mentors for Reach and Rise, she said.

Reach and Rise will offer one-on-one mentoring between a youth and mentor, which is how the Big Brothers Big Sisters program works, and group mentoring in which two mentors meet with six youths “always in public space,” she said.

Volunteer mentors are needed. They must be at least 21 years old, obtain background clearances and receive 15 hours of training. The YMCA is accepting applications.

This is an excerpt — find out why the YMCA is making the switch in Sunday's Butler Eagle.