CTI Youthbuild Teen Mentoring Opportunity

7/15/2010

The Jericho Road Project and CTI Youthbuild Lowell are pleased to announce a unique opportunity for Jericho Road volunteers mentoring Youthbuild-enrolled teens. YouthBuild is a nationally-recognized, award-winning youth and community development program that simultaneously addresses core issues facing low-income communities: housing, education, employment, crime prevention, and leadership development. In YouthBuild programs, low-income young people ages 16-24 work toward their GEDs or high school diplomas, learn job skills and serve their communities by building affordable housing, and transform their own lives and roles in society; CTI YouthBuild Lowell is a member of this highly successful organization.

The mentorship period will begin this October and take place over 15 months, with the mentor meeting with the mentee twice monthly for up to two hours per meeting. The youth who participate in this program are largely from urban and underserved communities, are incredibly motivated and compelling, and have been carefully screened.

From Executive Director Dan Holin,

"I have mentored a Lowell teenager for several years. I have learned and grown a lot through my mentoring experience; the experience has also helped me model philanthropy for my children and helped my children better value what they often take for granted. Our Jericho Road Lowell program has now committed to identifying 22 women and men who are interested in mentoring a Greater Lowell youth. I am writing to you in the hopes that you would consider becoming a mentor."

The mentorship period will begin this October and take place over 15 months, with the mentor meeting with the mentee twice monthly for up to two hours per meeting. The youth who participate in this program are largely from urban and underserved communities, are incredibly motivated and compelling and have been carefully screened.

Mentoring with YouthBuild is perfect for someone who would like to engage with a terrific and deserving young person, but prefers a proven and structured program and a time-limited relationship; CTI YouthBuild Lowell will provide training, activity suggestions and ongoing support for mentors and mentees; Jericho Road will also provide opportunities for mentors to share and reflect on their experiences with other mentors.

Please scroll below to view testimonials of a mentor and recent YouthBuild graduates and some FAQs we thought you may find helpful.

We need to identify mentors by the end of August. Let me know ASAP if you have any questions; if you are interested in attending an informational meeting or a personal meeting with our YouthBuild liaison I will be more than willing to set it up. Please consider forwarding this message to someone else who may be interested!

Thank you for your consideration of this opportunity."

Dan Holin, Executive Director

dholin@jerichoroadproject.org

Kim- age 17, YouthBuild Class of 2010:
Hello, my name is Kim. I was 16 when I came to YouthBuild. I live with my mother and have 2 sisters, they both have kids. I want to be a mom too, but after college and I'm married. I had a brother, but he died 2 years ago at 16. I think of him every day, he keeps me going when things get tough. I'm most proud that YouthBuild helped me get my GED by age 17. I was the first person in my family to finish school and get that GED. Now my mom wants to finish, she is proud of me and thinks she can do it too!
YouthBuild took me to a career fair and I met a nurse. She invited me to where she worked and I job shadowed. I want to be a nurse. I'm nervous, it's going to be hard….but I think I can do it. The staff at YouthBuild are there to encourage me and keep me believing in myself. We need people like that in this world. I start college at MCC this summer because of them.

Rafael- age 18, YouthBuild Class of 2009:
I was the YouthBuild student council president. I even shook hands with the Governor at our State House Day. Me, a kid from the hood….a president, shaking hands with the Governor! My friends laughed, even my family couldn't believe it. I got the Outstanding Student of the Year Award at graduation, and I'm working in the construction….I want to own my own construction company and set up internships for kids like me to get a chance. My friends stopped laughing and now all want to come to YouthBuild. My father, grandmother, and most of all my son were at my graduation and they looked proud. My son was smiling and saying, "daddy"…I knew he was proud. I thank the YouthBuild staff for believing in me and sticking by me all those times I wanted to quit and even when I had to take some time off to get my head straight. I know they got frustrated with me sometimes, but it's a powerful thing having people still care about you and stand by you during the tough times….it's what got me to where I am today.

Jim- Mentor-
Hi, my name is Jim. I have mentored youth most of my adult life as a baseball coach. I worked in the field of construction and I've owned my own businesses, many of them throughout the years. I've gone from rags to riches, to rags many times over. I have two boys of my own and know the importance of them having positive adults in their lives, besides just their mother and father. During the times I had to work 70 hours a week, I was glad my sons had caring people at school and in the community looking out for them.
I had heard about YouthBuild from a friend whose nephew had gone there and did well. He had gone through some tough times and dropped out of High School, but got his GED and good job with YouthBuild's help. He was even volunteering himself at the Boys and Girls Club helping kids. I went and checked out YouthBuild, met the staff and students, and became a volunteer. I started mentoring a young man age 17. I couldn't believe he dropped out of school in 11th grade. But as I got to know him I learned the reasons why and we put it behind us and looked to his future. We met a couple times a month, sometimes at YouthBuild participating together in activities there. We did an Earth Day project together in Lowell with other YouthBuild students, volunteers, and staff and it was one of the best times I've ever had. We also met outside of YouthBuild sponsored activities; and spent time "hanging-out". This is when Mark really opened up. Our relationship grew and I realized how important my time with him was. We talked and planned about the usual stuff, school and career. But the most memorable time is when he asked, "teach me to be a good father, like you." It's been 5 years, and Mark's daughter is turning 2.

FAQs:
Q. What is the YouthBuild program all about?
A. YouthBuild students come to YouthBuild voluntarily to obtain their GED, learn skills in residential home-building, develop leadership skills, participate in service-learning projects in their communities, and prepare for entry into college, military, advanced technical training, or employment upon program completion. Students enrolled into YouthBuild have met strict eligibility and admissions requirements.
Students attend academic, leadership, career, and occupational instruction during the day for up to 30 hours per week. YouthBuild follows the traditional public school calendar.

Q. Can anyone get into the program?
A. No! YouthBuild is a selective and competitive program: Each year 300 youth apply but only 40 get in.

Q. Can you tell me more about the youth participating specifically in Jericho Road Lowell's collaboration with YouthBuild Lowell?
A. YouthBuild serves 16-24 year-olds; the mentees to be matched specifically through Jericho Road Lowell's collaboration with YouthBuild Lowell will be 16-18 years old. The group is 35% female and 65% male; 20% are young parents and 40% are Asian, 30% Caucasian, 25% Latino and 5% come from other ethnicities.

Q. What is a mentor expected to do?
A. The mentor will help their mentee accomplish various goals--professional, academic and leadership-- that the mentee articulated in his or her Individual Development Plan. The mentor will also be a person to simply hang-out with, grab a coffee or see a movie. Above all the mentor will be a consistent source of support and role model for the mentee. After each mentor-mentee meeting, the mentor is asked to send the YouthBuild Coordinator a short, informal re-cap of the meeting via email.

Q. Where can the meetings with the mentees take place?
A. Just about anywhere! Mentees live largely in the Lowell area. Mentors can meet at the YouthBuild program in Lowell (they have plenty of space and many structured activities a mentor and your mentee can participate in together), out in the community at a restaurant, library, park, beach, movie theater. .

Q. Why is mentoring so important?
A. A recent Research Brief published by Child Trends and titled, "Mentoring: A Promising Strategy for Youth Development" found that youth that participate in mentoring…
" Have a better school attendance and better attitudes about school
" Have a better chance of going on to higher education
" Are better able to prevent substance abuse and reduce negative behaviors
" Have more positive social attitudes and relationships
" Trust their parents more and communicate better with them

Q. Are there any benefits for Mentors?
A. A Commonwealth Fund Survey conducted in 1998 revealed 4 out of 5 mentors:
" Felt they were a better person
" Were more patient
" Gained friendships
" Felt they were effective
" Learned new skills (such as listening)

What does the mentor application process entail?
1. Confirm to Dan Holin (dholin@jerichoroadproject.org) that you are interested in the possibility of mentoring.
2. Connect with the Lowell YouthBuild Mentor Coordinator with any remaining questions.
3. Fill out an online application form.
4. Have a personal interview with the Lowell YouthBuild Mentor Coordinator.
5. Get final word regarding whether or not accepted to the program (spaces are limited.)
6. Participate in a group orientation with other mentors.
7. Be matched with a mentee!

How will the matching take place?
Most if not all mentors will be matched with mentees of the same gender; male mentors will not be matched with female mentees. Mentors and mentees will have a chance to meet with one another and approve of any match proposed by the YouthBuild Mentor Coordinator.