One-on-One Mentoring Program

Each week mentees meet with their mentors for two hours. The mentor/mentee dyads participate in various activities such as sports, cultural events, theatre, educational events, etc. The mentors are adult friends to the mentees. The mentees are encouraged to talk to their mentors about any issues that are of concern to them. All volunteer Mentors are fully trained and screened.

Mentoring Children of Incarcerated Parents

Mentoring Children of Incarcerated Parents is about mentoring relationships. Our role is to bring mentors and children with incarcerated parents together and to facilitate quality mentoring relationships. This program makes it possible for many more young people throughout New York State to have mentors, and for many more families to enjoy all the benefits of mentoring. Children of Incarcerated parents are paired with trained, screened adult mentors. 

Mentoring with Career Pathways 

Youth ages 16 to 24, are paired with adult mentors, who are established in careers the young people would like to explore. The dyads meet bi=weekly for 1 year at the mentors' place of business.

Ready, Set, Work!

Ready Set, Work! is a DOJ 20-hour skill-based training to equip returning citizens, and others with barriers to employment, gain the necessary tools to get and retain quality employment. There is also an emphasis on career planning and advancement, to encourage longevity in legitimate employment. The RSW! Curriculum includes the following modules:

Module 1: Career Assessments

Module 2: Legal Issues and Financial Incentives

Module 3: Job Applications

Module 4 : Job Interviews

Module 5 : Budget and Spending Plan

Module 6: Employer Expectations

Module 7: Barriers and Resources

Module 8: Job Retention

Module 9: Job Search

Module 10: Using the Local One Stop

Girls Circle:

Structured gender-specific/age-specific support groups for girls from 10-18 years, integrates relational theory, resiliency practices, and skills training in a specific format designed to increase positive connection, personal and collective strengths, and competence in girls. It aims to counteract social and interpersonal forces that impede girls’ growth and development by promoting an emotionally safe setting and structure within which girls can develop caring relationships and use authentic voices. 

Council for Young Men:

The Council is a strengths-based group approach to promote boys’ and young men’s safe, strong and healthy passage through pre-teen and adolescent years. The Council groups encourage boys and young men to: act safely; show respect in their relationships; develop a healthy perspective; see other’s points of view; use good judgment; and find their goals and dreams and pursue them. The Council meets a core developmental need in boys for strong, positive relationships. In this healthy and structured environment, boys and young men gain the vital opportunity to address masculine definitions and behaviors and build their capacities to find their innate value and create good lives, individually and collectively. 

Court Advocacy:

Designed for working parents who are not able to go to court with their children; for parents who do not feel comfortable attending court; and for parents who do not understand the court system. A.C.T. Inc. is dedicated to ensuring that children and youth never have to go to court without the support of a caring adult. With this commitment, a court advocate will accompany any client for their court dates.

Family Stabilization Program:

Each week families in various low-income Housing Authority complexes are afforded the opportunity to participate in a community family dinner. Members of the ACT volunteer family travel to the site and have dinner with the participants. Every family member participates. During dinner, children and parents discuss their accomplishments or challenges of the previous week. After dinner, separate gender/age specific youth groups and parent groups are formed to address specific topics. A trained Social Worker and trained volunteer counselor are in attendance to offer much needed counseling and support.

Sowing Seeds for Seniors:

This program is designed to teach our children and teens to build their community by giving back to our beloved Senior Citizens. Every year children in A.C.T. programs select Senior Citizen Complexes to plant vegetable/fruit gardens. As a result, our Senior Citizens have an opportunity to pick and prepare fresh veggies/fruit and the children experience the joys of humanitarianism.