How to start your Mentoring Program
As a strategy for helping students succeed in life, mentoring works. It helps give At Risk students the confidence, resources, and skills they need to reach their potential. But like any youth-development strategy, mentoring works best when measures are taken to ensure quality and effectiveness. The risks and improvements to the student’s in general are proportional to how long the relationship endures. The longer a relationship lasts, usually the closer the bond and the greater benefit to the youth
STEPS TO BECOMING A STUDENT MENTEE
- The teacher refers a student to the principal
- Parent/Guardian is contacted and informed of their child's referral to the mentoring program.
- The student fills out a student application profile and returns it to the school mentoring team facilitator.
- Parent permission form is sent home. Form must be completed, signed and returned to school mentoring facilitator.
- As a mentor becomes available, the school mentoring facilitator will interview the mentor before matching with a student
- The student, mentor, principal or head of mentoring team and parent/guardian must all sign the Mentoring Agreement.
- Copies of all forms should be filed in student’s folder.
- Originals of the required forms are kept with the Mentoring Team. Required forms include: Student Referral, Parent Permission and the Mentoring Agreement.
The School Mentoring Program links adult role models and volunteers drawn from members of the community and businesses with those students most at risk of leaving school early.
All mentors receive training material and ideas and on-going support facilitated by the School Mentoring Team.
How the Program Operates Adult volunteers come to the school during school hours. Adult volunteers usually attend the school once a week, at the same time for one hour. Volunteers work one-on-one basis with an At Risk student selected for the program by the Mentoring Team
The mentor and student are matched using information provided in the mentor application and student referral form. (ALL NECESSARY CONSENT FORMS MUST BE SIGNED).
The Mentoring Team provides support on an ongoing basis to aid in the success of the mentor/mentee program.
How to become a Mentor? All volunteers will be subject to a screening process prior to being accepted into the program. It includes:
- 1. A written application
- 2. A reference check
- 3. A police check
- 4. Attending an Orientation Workshop