Mission   Since 1980, EV has been transforming lives by fostering service, community, and spirit in Boston/Cambridge.  We bring together at-risk youth and college students in mutually enriching relationships with long-term mentoring, academic support, family advocacy, and life-changing camp experiences. 

Vision  Our vision is to create a more just, tolerant, and empathetic world by broadening the horizons of both the children we serve and the student volunteers we train.

Strategies

• Mentoring and Tutoring: EV supports long-term, one-on-one mentoring relationships between volunteer Harvard students and disadvantaged Boston children (grades 3-12) who meet for weekly tutoring in Dorchester and periodic Saturday workshops on campus.  Staff train the college volunteers and support their personal development as mentors and engaged members of the community.

• Educational Coordination: staff meet regularly with all the children’s teachers and work with the tutors to develop individualized tutoring plans for each child. 

• Family Advocacy: staff meet regularly with the children’s parents/caretakers and help enlist and maintain their support for the child’s success.   

• Leadership Camps: one and two-week camp sessions at EV’s summer camp in the Green Mountains of Vermont where disadvantaged youth (ages 11-14) (ages 15-18 as Counselors In Training) are introduced to hiking, swimming, camp activities, and workshops on grief, loss, and conflict resolution, while surrounded by supportive college volunteers.  The youth share services, learn respect for one another, and discover their own talents and potential.

Impact   For almost three decades, EV has been successfully keeping Boston children in school, helping them get to college, and exposing them to the great outdoors and community service.  Many of our EV-trained Harvard college volunteers have gone on to careers in education and public service.  EV is currently developing specific metrics to capture the program’s impact on both the children we serve and the student volunteers we train.