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| General Mentoring Information |
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Mentoring programs typically pair young people with adult volunteers or older youth who provide guidance and support. Support ranges from helping with homework to encouraging female students to enter nontraditional careers. Mentoring programs can be designed for any segment of the population, but the majority of national service programs focus on school-age children.
General Types of Mentoring Programs
- School-based
These programs typically focus on improving overall school achievement. Tutoring and counseling are also provided to raise self-esteem.
- Career-based
Mentoring programs can provide a new avenue for exploring educational and career paths. To help students make the transition from school to work, students are paired with professionals, introduced to role models, and encouraged to visit various work environments.
- Personal Development
Mentors involved in these types of programs usually focus on reducing high-risk behaviors, e.g., drug use and truancy. They may intervene at a crisis point in the student's life and focus on providing guidance for decision making.
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Tips for Mentors
Maintain regular contact. This cannot be overstated. Consistency is crucial, especially during the all-important trust-building phase of the relationship. Mentors must be willing to make a considerable time commitment.
Take the time to develop trust. Many students have not had positive relationships with adults in the past. Mutual trust and respect are goals to work toward, not a given. Keep your promises, speak truthfully, state your expectations, and set clear boundaries. In addition, remember that most youth are very sensitive about being labeled. Avoid using phrases like "welfare mother," "juvenile delinquent," or "abusive families."
Don't preach. In working with your protégé, practice active listening and try to be a problem solver. Offer alternatives instead of answers. The role of the mentor is relatively free of constraints. It is important to work together to determine activities and define the direction of the relationship. A mentor is an advocate, friend, role model, sponsor, nurturer, coach. A mentor is not a parent, therapist, judge, rescuer, authority figure, employer, or bank.
Identify areas of need. Don't expect each session to be a confession. Once problem areas are identified, work to find ways to address those areas of need and give support. Some protégés may not easily accept help. You can be a strong and committed voice of support. Stay alert to changing and individual needs.
Access resources. Help your protégé access community resources. Instead of doing the research yourself, model the process you use when seeking information and service. Then guide your protégé through a brainstorming process. The Blue Pages of your local phone book are a good place to start your search.
Debrief with supervisors and peers. Mentoring sessions can be both exhilarating and frustrating. Find time to share your stories (but take care not to betray confidences). Seeking the advice of others will help strengthen your communication and problem-solving skills.
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| Links |
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- National Mentoring Center. The National Mentoring Center at the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory provides on-line publications, a resources collection and information on area mentoring programs, conferences and events. You can also request information or training and technical assistance via their Web site.
- Embracing the Child links to mentoring programs online including America's Promise and One-to-One National Mentoring Partnership. Useful for teachers, parents, and others interested in becoming mentors.
- The National Mentoring Partnership is an advocate for the expansion of mentoring and provides resources for mentors and mentoring initiatives nationwide. Contains information for youth, mentors, and organizations. Contact the Technical Assistance Corps here for help if you're setting up a mentoring program, training volunteers, or looking for ways to improve an existing program.
- Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America is the country’s oldest mentoring organization serving youth and remains a leading expert in the field. Provides one-to-one mentoring relationships between adult volunteers and children at risk, serving more than 100,000 children and youth in more than 500 agencies across the U.S.
- Communities in Schools, Inc. A national network, Community in Schools, Inc. provides training and technical assistance to mentoring programs nationwide, as well as fostering national, regional, state and local partnerships. The CIS Web site includes information about its mentoring and delinquency prevention program and outlines different ways to get involved in the lives of youth.
- JUMP The Juvenile Mentoring Program (JUMP) is sponsored by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and focuses on at-risk youth. Their Web page includes information about legislation regarding juvenile delinquency, grants and funding, and training and technical assistance resources.
- National Youth Development Information Center. The National Youth Development Information Center is an organization focused on creating positive programs for children. Their Web site lists relevant publications, different youth development projects, suggestions for funding, a calendar of events, and a searchable database on youth development and mentoring.
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