Promoting inclusion in mentoring
Abstract
According to the MENTOR website, 15 million young Americans are waiting for mentors. With the Corporation's 2006 strategic plan, and it's focus on mentoring disadvantaged youth, all those who are interested in this type of service should be welcomed and encouraged. This effective practice, submitted by Elesheva Soloff of the National Service Inclusion Project, in June 2006, identifies factors that help make mentoring accessible to all.
Issue
In efforts to broaden the opportunities of at-risk youth, it is prudent to ensure that mentoring opportunities are available for all those who may be interested, including persons with disabilities. This means taking into account accessibility issues, as well as using common sense, sensitivity, and awareness.
Action
According to studies conducted by the Corporation and MENTOR, factors that promote mentoring in communities for people with and without disabilities include the following:
Meeting the mentee at a site close to their home so that a person with a disability does not have to worry about transportation.
Getting expert help when needed. Most mentors appreciate having an experienced person onsite to look to for guidance.
Scheduling that is flexible and appeals to a diversity of interests. People with disabilities may need a more varied schedule to enable them to participate in a mentoring program.
Receiving a daily reminder of responsibilities. These could be in the form of a to-do list or a calendar of activities.
Using the Internet as an alternative mode of mentoring. Online mentoring is gaining in popularity as the prevalence of the Internet and those with access is steadily increasing.
Employing accessible buildings. These should be equipped with elevators if the mentoring is not held on the first floor, or quiet rooms for people who perform better in a tranquil environment.
Context
The Corporation for National and Community Service released its Strategic Plan for 2006-2010 on February 8, 2006, pledging to mentor 3 million more children by the year 2010 in an effort to increase the opportunities of disadvantaged youth through mentoring.
The Corporation aims to meet the needs of our nation's youth by:
- Recruiting and supporting mentors for youth (with special attention towards children of incarcerated parents)
- Engaging youth in at-risk in disadvantaged environments in meaningful service experiences
- Developing community volunteering to strengthen positive youth connections with family, schools, and community (including faith-based institutions)
[Corporation for National and Community Service Strategic Plan 2006-2010, Focus Area Two: Ensuring a Brighter Future for All of America's Youth]
To find out where resources would best be focused, MENTOR and the Corporation conducted studies to discover in what types of environment mentoring has flourished.
Citation
Foster-Bey, John, Nathan Dietz, Robert Grimm, Jr. Volunteers Mentoring Youth: Implications for Closing the Mentoring Gap. Washington, DC: The Corporation for National and Community Service, 2006.
Posted On
July 5, 2006For More Information
Resources
Bauldry, Shawn and Tracey A. Hartmann. Promise and Challenge of Mentoring High-Risk Youth: Findings from the National Faith-Based Initiative. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 2004.
Item number: M2696
Herrera, Carla; Vang, Zoua; Gale, Lisa Y. Group Mentoring: A Study of Mentoring Groups in Three Programs. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 2002.
Item number: M2994
National Mentoring Center. Foundations of Successful Youth Mentoring: A Guidebook for Program Development. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, 2003.
Item number: M2432
Rhodes, Jean E. Stand by Me: The Risks and Rewards of Mentoring Today's Youth. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 2002.
Item number: M2181
Source Documents
Related Practices
Related sites
MENTOR (The National Mentoring Partnership)
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