Great Life Outcomes

In this article, you will find true stories about children facing adversity and big news for the organization responsible. 

Emotional and Psychological Well-Being 

Madison, Age 12

One of our young girls was working with her mental health therapist on a crisis plan for managing her self-harming behaviors. The therapist asked, “What's one reason you have to live?” The girl couldn’t think of one. So, the therapist asked her, “Can you tell me one person who cares about you?” The girl thought for a moment and then declared, “My mentor!” She and her therapist were able to build a crisis plan because she knows she has at least one person in her corner.  

Connectedness (and Ultimately Belonging) 

Caleb, Age 17

One of our teenage boys was failing in school when he was matched with his mentor. Now, more than a year later, his academic performance has improved so dramatically that he was selected as the Teacher’s Assistant, helping the teacher and other students who are struggling. His teacher told him, “you are one of the best success stories to come out of this high school.” Caleb successfully finished all of his credits and graduated on time with his mentor by his side.

Healthy Relationships 

Kyra, Age 10

Kyra was in foster care and allowed weekly supervised visits with her mom. But, her mom didn’t show up. Her mental health therapist recommended a Great Life mentor, and Kyra was interested. She bravely met her new mentor and watched to see if they would meet their weekly commitment. More than a year later, Kyra and her mentor have never missed a week. They have grown very close and decided they’d like to stay connected long term. This consistency and stability is just what Kyra needed. 

Great Life Mentoring is part of an effective treatment strategy for children with mental health needs from low-resource families. The model produces a number of outcomes organically when followed to fidelity. They are being measured through the organization’s research project and include: 

• Emotional and Psychological Well-Being: Mental health symptoms improve; self-advocacy increases; coping, loneliness and depressive symptoms are specifically improved.
• Healthy Relationships: Secure attachment develops and improves social and emotional development, interpersonal relationships, regulation of feelings and the ability to form trusting relationships. Great Life mentors enhance secure attachment by providing corrective attachment experiences. Benefits are seen in peer, family and other adult relationships, as well as improved social and communication skills.
• Connectedness (and Ultimately Belonging): Connectedness is developed towards community, school and extracurricular activities. Impact can be seen in a child’s hope: future expectations, goal setting and planning for the future. Results in academic success and an absence of substance use and delinquent behaviors. 

There are hundreds of true stories like those of Madison, Caleb and Kyra, and they can only happen one day and one Great Life mentor at a time. The more lives we impact, the more we are determined to expand Great Life Mentoring. 

To reach this goal, Great Life Mentoring was registered as a domestic nonprofit corporation in August 2021!

For 21 years, Great Life Mentoring (GLM) functioned under the umbrella of a large mental health provider, but now it’s time to become a standalone 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. This will enable GLM to expand, serve more children and increase equity. GLM already has its own operating funds from the Clark County Department of Community Services, but needs to raise funds for one-time transition costs (currently a $70,000 funding gap). Soon it will be fully independent and on its way to reaching more children.

We’re aiming for five sites in five years, at which time we'll have a field-tested model that can be replicated to benefit children in communities throughout America. 

Please go to GreatLifeImpact.com to learn more, and we hope you’ll make a donation to help us reach more kids like Madison, Caleb and Kyra.

(Great Life Mentoring shares true stores about our kids but changes the names for privacy purposes. You can read more true stories here.)