The BRIGHT Families mentoring program helps youth negotiate through their turbulent teen years. A primary goal of the program is to provide youth with the knowledge and strength to avoid teen pregnancy. In addition, the program focuses on teaching teens how to have positive relationships, fostering a caring environment to help build self esteem, and exposing teens to different opportunities for careers and education.  

Mentors spend six months with their teens, for at least four hours per month. They talk with teens about reproductive health, teach them how to set and achieve goals, help with homework, and form positive relationships. BRIGHT Families trains mentors on the reproductive health curriculum, and also shows them how to effectively work with their mentees. In addition, the project provides mentor support and holds fun and educational group activities every month.

Begun in 1997 as the result of the statewide Community Challenge Grant (CCG), BRIGHT Families uses a strength-based model to work with at-risk teens. We provide information, identify skills, and build the confidence of our youth to help them resist peer pressure, understand ways to prevent pregnancy, and create positive lives for themselves.