The Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025 establishes a Department of Labor grant program to support community-based mentoring initiatives that help eligible youth develop the social-emotional and workforce skills necessary for academic and career success.
Richard Durbin
Senator
IL
The Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025 establishes a competitive grant program under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to support community-based mentoring initiatives for at-risk youth. These programs provide structured guidance from trained mentors to help young people develop social-emotional skills, improve academic outcomes, and prepare for postsecondary education and the workforce. The legislation prioritizes underserved communities and mandates a federal study to evaluate the effectiveness of these mentoring strategies in fostering long-term career and educational success.
Mentoring to Succeed Act Invests in Youth: New Grants for Career Coaching and Trauma-Informed Support Launching in 2026.
The Mentoring to Succeed Act of 2025 is a major push to overhaul how we support kids who are falling through the cracks. It amends the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act to create a brand-new grant program specifically for mentoring. Starting in fiscal year 2026, the Department of Labor will start handing out three-year grants to nonprofits and local partnerships that can pair up 'at-risk' youth with trained adult mentors. This isn't just about having a big brother or sister to hang out with; the bill specifically targets skills that lead to a paycheck, like career exploration, resume writing, and even pre-apprenticeships. It’s designed for everyone from the student who has changed schools three times in six months to the teenager living in a neighborhood where violence is a daily reality.
A New Playbook for Mentors
This bill goes way beyond just matching kids with adults. It sets high standards for what that relationship looks like. Under Section 172, any organization getting this money has to train their mentors in 'trauma-informed practices' and 'social-emotional learning.' This means if a mentor is working with a kid who has a parent in prison or is struggling with the aftermath of a traumatic event, they aren't just winging it—they’re using evidence-based strategies to help that student stay in school. For a busy parent working two jobs, this could mean their child gets a consistent, trained advocate who can help them navigate college applications or find a trade school program that actually leads to a job.
From the Classroom to the Clock-In
The real-world focus here is on the transition from high school to adulthood. The bill prioritizes programs that offer 'work-based learning' and 'occupational skill training' that aligns with local industries. For example, a local community organization could partner with a construction firm to provide a student with a paid internship while a mentor helps them finish their GED. It also includes specific carve-outs for students with disabilities, ensuring they get the vocational rehabilitation services they need to enter the workforce. By linking these programs to 'covered recognized postsecondary credentials,' the bill tries to ensure that the time kids spend in these programs actually results in a certificate or degree that employers value.
Keeping Score on Success
Because this is government money, there are strings attached. Within 180 days of the end of each grant year, organizations have to report back on hard data: graduation rates, arrests, and whether the kids actually landed jobs. There’s also a mandatory study by the Department of Labor’s Chief Evaluation Officer to see if these programs are actually moving the needle on 'cognitive development' and 'workforce readiness.' While the bill is broad in who it defines as 'eligible youth'—which could lead to some confusion on the ground about who gets priority—the goal is clear: to see if a steady, trained mentor can be the difference between a young person getting stuck or getting ahead.