“Three months ago the Home Builders Institute (HBI) and VIP Mentoring asked us to be part of a new program they were initiating,” advised Roberto Hinojosa, Career Technical Training Manager at the San Diego Job Corps Center.  “The Department of Justice had awarded HBI a grant to establish C-CORE (Construction-Coaching, Opportunities to Reach Employment).  The program’s goal is to match 5,000 youth aged 16-18 with over 1,600 mentors recruited from home builders association, National Association of Home Builders Student Chapters, other business organizations and local communities.  Two of our School of Construction trades are Plumbing and Electrical HBI programs,” Mr. Hinojosa continued, “and we viewed it as a great opportunity for our students.”

On April 6, 2001, a Community Kick-Off for the C-CORE Mentoring initiative was held at Balboa Park.  The event was sponsored by HBI and VIP Mentors and co-sponsored by the Commission on Gang Prevention & Intervention and San Diego Job Corps.  Hotel and Lodging and Culinary Arts students, from Job Corps’ Business and Hospitality School, welcomed the nearly 100 young people and adults.  Students also prepared and served dinner to the guests, which included Commission on Gang Prevention Director Lynn Sharpe-Underwood, SD Police Chief William Lansdowne, San Diego County Probation Director Mack Jenkins, and San Diego Job Corps Director Bobby Brown.

Event moderator, Jim Pauley, San Diego Program Director for VIP Mentors, advised that the group is the only program in California that recruits attorneys to be guides, advisors, friends and role models for parolees as they struggle to turn their lives around.  Founded in 1972, VIP volunteer mentors have helped thousands of people begin new lives. Mr. Pauley recognized the outstanding work by Attorney Alex Landon, who brought the initial program (Volunteers in Probation) to San Diego in 1975. During the event, several mentors and mentees from both VIP Mentors and guest were encouraged to volunteer for the C-Core Program and encourage others to participate.    

 “HBI C-CORE appreciates the opportunity to work with the San Diego Job Corps Center and our intermediary agency for the San Diego C-CORE program, VIP Mentors,” stated Deme Hill, regional coordinator for California-Nevada, HBI C-CORE.  “C-CORE is offering the San Diego Job Corps program a rich source of knowledgeable and trained mentors who can guide their students as they pursue careers in the home building industry. VIP Mentors provides structure at the grassroots level to ensure that the mentoring services to the young people in our program are being delivered effectively.”