Mentoring Strengthens Communities

This is one workshop you won't want to miss

     Plans are underway to provide our mentors with two workshops this year that will focus on the 40 Developmental Assets and how they can be used to enhance mentoring.  More information about our first training opportunity can be found below.

     To help everyone understand a little bit more about Assets, and to perhaps get everyone a little more excited about attending these workshops, I wanted to give you all a little more background about Assets and how they were developed.

     First of all, I wanted to make sure everyone understands that the 40 Developmental Assets is not a program, it is a research-based framework that can be used to enhance or strengthen the programs that we are already using.  The Search Institute examined 800 different studies on youth development to determine what kids need to be successful.

     They looked at both the good and bad.  Instead of just focusing on how to avoid certain risk factors, they looked at the positive aspects of youth development that promote healthy development.  What they found were 40 common themes, which became the 40 Developmental Assets.

     These Assets are divided into two groups.  The “Internal Assets” focus on the social competencies and values that youth develop internally to guide behaviors and choices, while the “External Assets” focus on the relationships and opportunities that young people experience in their families, schools and communities.

     While mentoring certainly falls under this second category, we can also help to build the internal assets by taking time to invest in a child and model the values and social skills we want them to emulate.  This process of Asset Building is what our first workshop is all about.

     Since its creation in 1990, the Assets framework has become the most widely used approach to positive youth development in the United States. Over time, surveys of more than 3 million young people consistently show that the more assets young people have the less likely they are to engage in a wide range of high-risk behaviors such as alcohol  and drug use, violence, and sexual activity and the more likely they are to thrive and engage in positive behaviors.

     Sadly, the average young person experiences fewer than half of the 40 assets, and boys experience an average of three fewer assets than girls.  We hope to change that by promoting Assets Building not only within our mentoring program but within other community programs and organizations.  So I hope you will consider attending our mentor training in March and learn ways you can start building assets for the children and youth around you and help build a better world for kids.

You, too, can be an Asset Builder for kids

     In January, I had the opportunity to attend a special training workshop that focused on the 40 Developmental Assets, a framework for youth development created by the Search Institute.  Those who have been involved in the mentoring program for a while have probably heard me talk about Assets before.  Essentially, the Developmental Assets are 40 common sense, positive experiences and qualities that help influence the choices young people make and help them become caring, responsible, successful adults.  Helping youth to develop these Assets (a process known as “Asset Building”) begins simply by connecting with a young person in a purposeful way.  It’s not difficult.  In fact, the more I learn about this framework, the more impressed I am in how simple yet effective it can be.

     At the recent Asset workshop, we learned that everyone is an Asset Builder.  To illustrate this point, the presenter shared a true story about an elderly lady who I will refer to as Gladys.  While having her daily coffee with a friend in the front room of her house, Gladys looked out the window and saw something she had never noticed before.  A group of young children were gathering on the street in front of her home to wait for the school bus.  These students gathered there each day, but she had never really noticed them until now.

     One day, Gladys decided that she would make an effort to connect with these children by waiting with them at the bus stop.  After getting permission from the local school principal, Gladys would stand with the children and talk to them as they waited for the bus to arrive.  At first the children were a bit suspicious, but in time they started looking forward to seeing Gladys every day.  They would even express their concern and disappointment on the days she missed.  As news of her effort spread, other residents followed suit and this simple Asset Building approach soon became a community-wide effort.

     My point in sharing this story is that Asset Building is an easy process that starts simply by making an effort to connect with a child.  It’s all about building relationships.

     This year, we will be learning more about how to become an Asset Builder for youth.  At our quarterly mentor trainings, we will explore the idea that everyone is an Asset Builder.  We will also learn how to share the Asset message with others.  As more people learn about Assets, my hope is that we will become an Asset Building community that strives to have an impact on healthy growth and development in young people.

     Stay tuned for future Asset training opportunities.  In the meantime, if you would like to learn more about the 40 Developmental Assets, you can go to www.search-institute.org/assets.

New study confirms benefits of mentoring

     A new study conducted by a nationally-recognized researcher of youth mentoring programs has confirmed that mentoring not only improves outcomes for young people, but they can also improve these outcomes at the same time.  The specific outcomes that showed improvement were in the areas of academic achievement, behavior and social/emotional health.

     This study was lead by David DuBois, Ph.D., who is a member of the Research and Policy Council for the National Mentoring Partnership as well as a professor of community health services at the University of Illinois at Chicago.  DuBois and his colleagues used more than 70 evaluations of mentoring programs from the past decade for their analysis.

     In addition to the improvements mentioned above, the study also found that establishing an effective mentoring relationship can happen for young people of any age.  In the report, DuBois notes that these findings “speak to the universal importance of caring relationships for us as social animals, whatever our age.” He also stated, “Mentoring is a strategic intervention that gives communities a way to multiply their support for young people.”

     The following are a few of the highlights from this study:

- Mentoring programs over the past decade have been most effective with young people who have pre-existing difficulties or are exposed to higher levels of environmental risk.  However, the study noted that most mentoring programs likely are not well-positioned to handle the demands of young people with severe problems.

- Programs matching mentors and mentees according to their interests have yielded greater benefits for participating youth.

- Mentees have benefited more in programs that are structured to have mentors offer guidance and act as advocates for their mentees. However, the authors of the report cautioned that it is important for programs to find ways for mentors to take on these roles without crossing boundaries and becoming over-involved in the youth's life.

- And finally, they found that more research is needed to determine how well mentoring benefits hold up over time.

     Dr. Larry Wright, who is the president and CEO of the National Mentoring Partnership, said this type of research continues to let us know what works in helping children achieve their potential, which is the ultimate goal for youth mentoring programs across the country.

     This is great news, because it gives scientific credibility to what we in the youth mentoring field are striving for—to have a positive impact on the life of a child.  While mentors may not always be able to see these results firsthand, I hope that you mentors take some comfort in knowing that what you’re doing can and does make a difference.

First Lady speaks at mentoring summit

I recently came across the transcript of a speech given by First Lady Michelle Obama at the National Mentoring Summit that was held back in January.  While I am not able to include the entire speech due to space, I did want to share some of her remarks because I think she did a fantastic job of highlighting the need for mentoring.  Here is what the First Lady had to say:

“You’re all here today because you know that in today’s world, having a mentor is more important than ever before.  And that’s because, in many ways, being a kid today is tougher than ever before.

“Right now, more young people are growing up in single-parent homes, and more of those parents are working multiple jobs and longer hours just to make ends meet.
More kids are growing up outside of those tight-knit neighborhoods that many of us remember; you know, those neighborhoods where folks looked out for each others’ kids and told on you when you weren’t doing what you were supposed to do.

“And even though our children are connecting to the world and to each other in ways we never could have imagined, sometimes the messages they receive promote instant gratification over hard work and perseverance.  And I know that all that can be a little overwhelming.

“And then when you add in the age-old struggles of just plain old growing up –- the anxiety, the confusion, the academic and the social pressure –- you’ve got an entire generation of young people truly in desperate need of a friend, someone they can trust, an example they can follow.

“And that’s where all of you come in.  That’s why mentors are so important.  You all are reaching out to kids who do have big, gigantic dreams and plenty of talent, but they don’t always have enough guidance.
And as all of you know, mentoring doesn’t have to require a huge commitment.  It doesn’t take much.  It can be as simple as taking your kid to the zoo, maybe shooting some hoops...  Kids don’t need you to be Superman.  They just need you to be there.  They need you to be someone they can count on.

“And that’s really the core of mentoring.  It’s about building that trust.  It’s about providing comfort and stability in a world that often lacks both.   And it’s about showing young people that the world is filled with opportunities, and then helping them seize those opportunities.

“As mentors, you’re planting a seed that may not take root for years.  But let me tell you, when it does, the benefits are undeniable.”

As the new school year approaches, we are expecting to see several new children who will be looking for a mentor to spend time with them and let them know that they are important to someone.  If you have ever considered mentoring, or you know someone who you think would make a good mentor, give us a call at 696-0976.   You can make a new friend as you make a difference in the life of  a child.



I realize it's not yet time for my regular monthly comlun, but I stumbled upon this video on You Tube and just had to share it.  This is a commercial that ran back in January during National Mentoring Month, but the message is one that should be shared all year long.  If you have ever considered becoming a mentor to a young child, now is the time.

Online mentor training available

I recently learned about a new online training program that is available to our mentors at no cost.  Produced by a company called Education Northwest, this program uses video stories with real mentors, real youth and real situations to illustrate common challenges faced by today’s mentors.  The videos also help provide mentors with proven strategies they can use in their interactions and relationship-building with their mentees.

This program is called “Talking it Through: Communication Skills for Mentors.”  While this is a free resource, it is all done online and requires a high-speed internet connection.  All you have to do to start benefitting from this free online training program is to complete the free online registration process.  Simply go online to http://talkingitthrough.educationnorthwest.org and click on the button marked “Log in to get started!”  Once you have registered for the program you can start watching the videos and responding to the questions provided.  I have done several of the video lessons, and I have found them to be very interesting and interactive.  You will be asked to answer questions or give your thoughts about what is going on in the video in order to watch each subsequent part of the lesson.

Through these lessons, mentors will learn how to handle difficult situations and challenges through consistent recommended approaches, empathize with mentees by noticing verbal and nonverbal cues, and help youth identify their options and provide recommendations without judgment or coercion.  In addition, these lessons will help mentors to learn how to redirect mentee requests that are outside the boundaries of the mentor/mentee relationship and know when to refer them to program staff and/or adhere to mandatory reporting requirements.

I will caution you that some of the policies that are addressed in the lessons do not match up with the policies for our program.  For example, the mentoring program used as an example in one of the lessons states that mentors are not allowed to give their personal cell phone numbers to their mentee.  Community Connections Mentoring does not have this type of restriction.  However, this lesson will still help you to figure out how to set appropriate boundaries with your mentee.

“Talking it Through” includes 13 video stories that are 3-7 minutes in length.  The website also includes tips and resources, learning checks and a printable journal so you can take notes on what you have learned.   I strongly urge all of our mentors to complete this free online training program.  If you don’t have a computer or your internet speed in not fast enough to watch the streaming videos, please contact me and we’ll see what we can do for you.