Reach & Rise 1:1 Program Director

General Function:

Under the supervision of local executive leadership and in close alignment with the YMCA

Reach & Rise National Director, the Reach & Rise Program Director is responsible for the overall

execution, ongoing development, and clinical oversight of the YMCA’s National Reach & Rise®

1:1 Mentoring Program at the local association level.

Serving as the clinical lead for the program, the Program Director implements a therapeutic,

trauma-informed, and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)-informed mentoring model. This

position manages risk, delivers clinical case management, and establishes vital community

linkages. The Director leads local volunteer recruitment, screening, match generation,

parent/family engagement, and ongoing clinical match support while upholding uniformity in

CBT curriculum delivery, research data collection, and OJJDP federal grant compliance

PROGRAM MODEL OVERVIEW

Reach & Rise® is an evidence-based, therapeutic youth mentoring program designed for youth

(ages 6–17) facing mental health setbacks, trauma, low self-esteem, or family/peer conflict. The

1:1 model pairs a vulnerable youth with a trained adult volunteer mentor for 12 to 18 months.

The program integrates Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) principles—such as cognitive

reframing, emotional regulation, mood mapping, and positive coping mechanisms—into

everyday mentor-mentee interactions to promote resilience, academic connectedness, and risk

reduction.