What is the time commitment?

• A minimum of 4 hours per month for the duration of the school year

What are the ages of youth I’d be working with? 

• Teens in middle or high schools 

What type of mentoring would I provide? 

• One-to-one meetings 

What locations are available? 

• Meetings are school-based in Palm Beach County from Boynton to Riviera Beach and/or held virtually

Your investment of time will transform the life of a teen by building a solid foundation of values, establishing goals, improving academic and life skills, developing self-esteem, instilling confidence and honing leadership qualities. 

Oh yes — it will also change your life!

Here are a few things to understand about the role of mentoring. Most of us have had a teacher, supervisor or coach who made a positive difference in our lives. Those people wore many hats, acting as delegators, role models, cheerleaders, policy enforcers, advocates and friends. Mentors assume these different roles during the course of a relationship, and share some basic qualities:

• A sincere desire to be involved with a young person
• Respect for teenagers
• Active listening skills
• Ability to see solutions and opportunities
• Empathy
• Flexibility

Mentoring relationships are a shared opportunity for learning and growth. Many mentors say the rewards they gain are as substantial as those for their match, with mentoring enabling them to:

• Have fun
• Achieve personal growth and learn more about themselves
• Improve their self-esteem and feel they are making a difference
• Gain a better understanding of other cultures and develop a greater appreciation for diversity
• Feel more productive and present a better attitude at work
• Enhance their relationships with their own children

Above all, a good mentor is willing to take the time to get to know their student match, to learn new things that are important to this individual young person, and to be open to being changed by the relationship.

YEP follows the evidence-based practice of the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™. 

You can learn more about this practice in the description below or by visiting here:

https://www.mentoring.org/resource/elements-of-effective-practice-for-mentoring/

YEP follows the 6 Elements of Effective Practice which aligns with the following steps: 

Recruitment focuses on recruiting appropriate mentors and mentees, by realistically describing the program’s objectives and expected outcomes. Recruitment strategies should build positive attitudes and emotions about mentoring, and target mentors and students whose skills, backgrounds, and needs best match the goals and structure of the program.

GOALS: to decrease absenteeism, meaning students should not miss more than 10 days of school in a school year

maintain/increase problem-solving skills and coping mechanisms 

IDEAL MENTOR: professional nurturing woman in the community 

IDEAL MENTEE: challenged teen in Title One middle or high school 

Screening focuses on assessing prospective mentors to determine whether they have the time, commitment and personal qualities to be a safe and effective mentor; and assessing prospective student matches to determine if they have the time, commitment and desire to be effectively mentored. Screening emphasizes keeping participants, especially young people, safe in mentoring relationships.

All mentors must undergo a Level 2 background screening coupled with reference checks and an interview.  

Training is essential to the success of a mentoring program. Training focuses on ensuring that prospective mentors, student matches, and their parents or guardians have the basic knowledge, attitudes and skills needed to build a safe and effective relationship. Training of mentors, particularly, has documented implications for the length of match relationship as well as both parties’ perceptions of the quality of the relationship.

An orientation/training session takes place prior to matching the student with the mentor to outline the expectations and boundaries. In addition, YEP provides ‘Seeking Safety,’ an evidence-based, present-focused counseling model to help people attain safety from trauma and/or substance abuse. 

This model can be conducted in group (any size) and/or individual modality. It is an extremely safe model as it directly addresses both trauma and addiction, but without requiring clients to delve into the trauma narrative (the detailed account of disturbing trauma memories), thus making it relevant to a very broad range of clients and easy to implement from the very start of treatment (no prior treatment is needed). Any provider, even untrained, can conduct this model over any number of sessions available,  although the more the better. It is often used as a general model to teach coping skills.

Our board member Dr. Amanda Davis facilitates the training for mentors to address any issues of concern.

Matching helps create appropriate mentoring relationships by using strategies most likely to increase the odds that the relationship will be safe and effective. Matching should consider individual characteristics about the mentor and student in order to foster an enduring relationship. Initiating is the step that formally establishes the mentoring relationship. 

Monitoring and support is critical to mentoring not only to create satisfying and successful relationships, but also to adjust to changing needs of the student and mentor, and to ensure safety. Support provides ongoing advice, problem-solving, training and access to resources for the duration of a mentoring relationship.

The program coordinator will contact mentors monthly to see how things are going and inquire if YEP can be of service to you. 

Closure: It is essential to close a mentoring relationship in a way that ends positively for the student and affirms the contributions of both the mentor and their match. Closure is a normal stage where mentors and matches can prepare for closure by assessing their experience with the relationship.

YEP provides a closing ceremony at the end of every school year in a fun atmosphere. It’s a time of gratitude, sharing and an opportunity to reflect on the relationship. Many times, the mentor describes the ‘caterpillar to butterfly’ metamorphosis in their student match. Bonds are strengthened and seniors are celebrated.

Before you are matched with a young person you will receive training to help you understand and prepare for your role and responsibilities. Throughout your mentoring relationship you will also receive ongoing training and support which should address the majority of your concerns. If it doesn’t, don’t hesitate to ask questions! 

Here we’ve listed a few common concerns you may have. We understand that committing to mentor a youth comes with a lot of responsibility and may feel like brand new territory. You may worry that you won’t know how to do this. Try thinking about your background. You may have already been a mentor in informal situations such as helping a niece or nephew with schoolwork or listening to a youngster who thought nobody cared. In each instance, you were acting as a mentor. 

By joining a mentoring program, you are simply formalizing your commitment to help guide a young person. At the same time, you get the benefit of comprehensive training and ongoing support.

What if we don’t hit it off right away?

It’s not easy to trust a stranger, especially if you’re a young person who’s had bad experiences with adults in the past. It may take a while to build trust. Don’t interpret caution as rejection. A young person may not show it — in fact, he or she may not even know it fully — but your help is definitely wanted.

What if something extremely serious comes up?

While most mentoring relationships develop and flourish without serious problems, things do happen. Mentors have an important role, but that role does not include family counseling or medical or psychological treatment. There are support systems in place for real emergencies. Contact your mentoring program coordinator for information. The most a mentor is expected to do — and should do — is to help guide a young person to the appropriate source of professional help.

What if we don’t have anything in common?

Many first-time mentors worry that differences in age, race, religion, education or gender will be insurmountable barriers. Actually, most experienced mentors report that mentoring a young person from a different background broadened their own horizons and deepened their understanding of other people and cultures.

What if I can’t mentor anymore?

This is a very serious concern. Mentoring is a deep commitment. There are times, however, when uncontrollable things happen, such as a job relocation or illness, and you simply must withdraw from your mentoring relationship. 

If that happens, you will talk with your program coordinator and discuss the best way to end the relationship. Except for unavoidable circumstances, it’s best to stay in a mentoring relationship. You could do far more harm than good if you enter a young person’s life, build trust and then leave the relationship. 

Be honest with yourself when committing to be a mentor. If you aren’t sure about in-depth mentoring, try one of the many shorter-term alternatives, such as tutoring or one-time projects.

What if I do something wrong?

If you are there for your young friend no matter what, if you listen and really hear what’s being said, and if you do your best to counsel and reserve judgment, you will do everything right. 

Some young people are more ready than others for a mentor. Some may test a mentor’s commitment. Try not to take such behavior personally. Just keep doing your best and follow your mentoring program guidelines. Gauge your success by your actions, not your match.