About Us

Great Life Mentoring (GLM) was established in 2000 —as the first of its kind— a mentoring model that utilizes trained community volunteers as mentors to improve the mental health conditions of children from low-resource families. It is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, and an award-winning, Evidence-Based Practice that’s proven to get results.

The program received a national designation and evidence rating of Effective (the highest possible rating) by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs in the criminal and juvenile justice and criminal victimization fields. Further, it has achieved status as a mental health intervention on the WA State Inventory of Evidence-Based Practices. 

The organization has provided nearly 100,000 hours of encouragement, consistency and hope to over 1,000 young people, and is dedicated to improving mental health outcomes for youth facing adversity by expanding Great Life Mentoring’s model of quality and care to communities everywhere.

Mission Statement

Great Life Mentoring cultivates meaningful relationships where children facing adversity – and the adults who mentor them – live happier, healthier lives.

Serving youth in
Portland, Oregon

and Clark County,
Washington

  • The Mentors

    Mentors positively impact youth in many ways. In fact, GLM mentors are known to be an important protective factor in the lives of vulnerable youth.

    The stable, empathetic presence and unconditional positive regard from mentors inspires the kids on their way to having a great life. In the process, mentors experience more meaningful lives as well. The life you change may be your own!

  • GLM's Evidence-Based Model

    • Maintains a mentor retention rate of 99%

    • Maintains an average match length of nearly 5 years

    • Significantly improves the mental health conditions of youth from low-resource families

    • Provides well trained and supported volunteer mentors to young people (for over twenty years)

    • Has partnered with mental healthcare organizations to provide nearly 100,000 hours of consistent support and hope to over 1,000 young people

  • The Children

    Youth served by Great Life Mentoring are between the ages of 9 and 16 and reside in Portland, Oregon and Clark County, Washington. They receive government-funded healthcare, and have experienced trauma or face other circumstances that impact their everyday functioning.

    What helps them most? A consistent, trustworthy adult to help them form healthy relationships and behaviors that can last a lifetime.

Publications

Achievements

Our successful volunteer program has received widespread recognition, highlighted in print and through the numerous awards Great Life Mentoring has earned over the past two decades. We specialize in mentoring for success, promoting the well-being of our community, and shaping a brighter future for children everywhere, because every child deserves a fair chance.    

  • Began serving youth in Portland, Oregon.

    Began youth enrollment in the SMART study.

    Launched three-year DEI partnership with Espousal Strategies, LLC.

  • Grant awarded by the Chris and Dee Dee Gibson Foundation to support the establishment of a new site in Portland, OR.

  • GLM was designated as a 501(c)(3) public charity by the Internal Revenue Services (IRS)

    Implementation of a Randomized Controlled Trial by University of Illinois, Chicago, funding provided by The Wood Next Foundation

  • Great Life Mentoring incorporated as an Oregon based nonprofit corporation with licenses to operate in Oregon and Washington states

    Elizabeth Higley recipient of MENTOR Washington’s Brad Owen Excellence in Mentoring Award

    • 2020: Celebration of GLM’s 20-year anniversary

    • Produced thirteen mentor match videos

    • 2019: Received national designation and evidence rating of Effective (highest rating) through CrimeSolutions.gov by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Justice Programs (OJP) in the fields of criminal and juvenile justice and criminal victimization.

    • Inclusion in the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention’s Model Programs Guide.

    • Achieved Expert Partner in Mentoring status; National Quality Mentoring System

    • 2018: Published in Children and Youth Services Review: Investigation of the reach and effectiveness of a mentoring program for youth receiving outpatient mental health services

    • Presented Building Healthy Relationships for a Great Life workshop at the 2018 National Mentoring Summit

    • Designation of Research-Based Practice on the Updated Inventory of Evidence-Based, Research-Based and Promising Practices by the Washington State Institute for Public Policy.

    • 2017: Presented Becoming a Relationship Expert workshop at the 2017 National Mentoring Summit

    • 2016: Presented Achieving Long-Lasting, Healthy Mentoring Relationships for Youth with Mental Health Needs workshop at the 2016 National Mentoring Summit

    • 2014: Published in the international journal Child & Family Social Work: Achieving High Quality and Long-Lasting Matches in Youth Mentoring Programmes

    • Selected as the first Expert Partner in WA State by MENTOR Washington (formerly Washington State Mentors) as evaluated through the national Quality Mentoring Assessment Path

    • 2013: Awarded Promising Practice status on the Washington State Inventory of Evidence-Based Practices

    • Selected for the Quality Mentoring Assessment Path pilot project with Washington State Mentors

    • First program in our community to receive the Quality-Based Mentoring Distinction for Outstanding Program Practices; High-Quality Program Designation by Institute for Youth Success (formerly Oregon Mentors)

    • 2012: Nonprofit Excellence in Impact award, Nonprofit Network of Southwest WA
SAMHSA Building Evaluation Capacity for Evidence-Based Intervention, grant award

    • 2011: SAMHSA Service to Science, grant award

    • 2010: Exceptional Program of the Year award by Institute for Youth Success (formerly Oregon Mentors)

    • 2009: Champions of Mentoring, Outstanding Mentor Pair award
First program in Washington to be accepted as a Caregiver’s Choice Program, National Mentoring Partnership Children of Prisoners program

    • 2007: Behavioral Healthcare published: Aiming 4Results
Champions of Mentoring, Outstanding Mentor Pair award

    • 2005: Behavioral Healthcare published: Aiming 4Results
Champions of Mentoring, Outstanding Mentor Pair award