VOLUSIA COUNTY, Fla. — A nonprofit organization in the city of Holly Hill in Volusia County is working to make a difference in helping the youth.
The Mr. And Ms. Mentoring organization started as an intervention study to reduce recidivism rates among young people. Now, because of its success, it has grown into a weekly program that also addresses mental health issues the youth faces.
Holly Hill resident and program executive director of Mr. and Ms. Mentoring Derrick Collins has been helping the youth since he was working as an intern.
“I was working at a residential juvenile facility, and they allowed me to kind of work with the kids that were aging out or getting ready to leave the program because they were having a big recidivism rate issue with returning kids,” Collins said.
He said at the time the focus was to decrease criminal behavior, increase conflict resolution and develop personal growth.
“It worked out well, which gave me the idea that this can work out actually in a community level because that was in a residential program,” Collins said.
Using his experience as a mental health therapist, Collins started Mr. and Ms. Mentoring, a nonprofit that helps kids between the ages of 9 and 17.
The office is located in Holly Hill, but they serve several cities in Volusia County, from Port Orange to Ormond Beach.
They combine mentoring and volunteering with mental health counseling.
“A combination of the two filled a lot of those voids that each of them had at that time,” Collins said.
Collins says for him, this is personal.
“I can see myself in these kids. So, you know, I had anger issues. I got into fights in trouble like that. I grew up in, you know, dangerous environments as well. So, I can kind of correlate and understand where they’re coming from in most cases.”
He says there is a huge need for mentoring the youth nowadays. “A lot of substance use and drugs, a lot of violence in the home and in the community. A lot of fighting and a lot of lost hope, of opportunity,” Collins said.
Mr. And Ms. Mentoring in Holly Hill helping young kids overcome hurdles. (Spectrum News/Massiel Leyva)
At Mr. and Ms. Mentoring, they have a variety of techniques to approach each of the kids. Collins says every kid is different, and they make sure to address their individual needs.
“A kid might do more services in school because he’s having behavioral problems in school. We might have services done in home because he’s having, you know, outbursts and conflicts with the family. And then we have our facility here, which has a variety of different outlets as far as art, music, physical therapy.”
The music room is one of the many outlets they have for the kids as a way to express themselves and get stuff off their chests in a healthy way.
“It’s more of a like an outlet for kids that are musically inclined, also. You know, it is a form of relaxation,” Collins said.
Across from the music room, they also have a relaxation room where kids can go and meditate and spend time alone when needed. They also go on college tours and expose them to different experiences, from fishing to financial literacy classes, and celebrate holidays together.
The program has transformed into a community-based program rather than in a residential setting. This allows for a less restricted and regulated environment where youth will encompass a variety of key mental health techniques as well as hands on educational experiences.
For student William Wright and his sister Sophia, having a place like Mr. and Ms. Mentoring has helped them overcome their own challenges.
“I wasn’t social before I came here. You know I was only social with people I could really trust, was like kids from my elementary school. But when I came here, I learned to socialize more with other kids,” William said.
They also come together and do several activities. Sofia Wright said she especially enjoys one game.
“The bingo and the part where we are told about self-care,” she said.
Mr. And Ms. Mentoring in Holly Hill helping young kids overcome hurdles. (Spectrum News/Massiel Leyva)
The nonprofit also offers clothing services at their For The Low-Urban Boutique where community members can get nice shoes and clothing for free or at a very reduced price.
“A lot of our kids are underprivileged, so it means that they don’t get a chance to acquire some of these things that some of these other people that have money are able to do. So, they get talked down on and made fun of and bullied because of their clothes that they can’t afford,” Collins said.
They run on donations and have everything from T-shirts to shoes to jeans for young people to choose from.
“You dress good. You feel good. It helps with self-esteem. Kids that are, you know, might be depressed. It helps with their confidence, you know? So, it does play a whole role in their mental health,” Collins said.
He said it is the combination of all the services they offer and the work they put into it all yearlong what keeps him going.
“This is what we do 24/7 (…) School is out, you know, our services don’t stop because school is out. We’re around the clock,” Collins said.
Collins says their goal is to be a neighborhood role model to the kids they serve and inspire the youth to discover their strengths while growing in their communities.
If you or anyone you know is interested in volunteering with the organization or knows a teenager who might benefit from the programs they offer, you may visit their website https://mrandmsmentoring.org/.