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Making Connections

Learn valuable strategies to maintain meaningful mentoring relationships with high school students, including tips on engaging them, communicating effectively, and connecting them to resources in school and beyond.

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Making Connections

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  1. Making Connections Training for Mentors of High School TeamMates

  2. Connection to Mentoring • Keeping youth involved with mentoring is powerful! • Make mentoring meaningful • Think like a high school student • Engage them in the process • Be flexible • Communicate with the school/TeamMates staff

  3. Connections to School • Having a mentor helps kids graduate from school! • Four Main Reasons kids leave school • Life event dropout • Struggler-academically challenged • Push out-unruly, difficult, trouble-maker • Fade out-doing well but can’t deal with regimen/rules • 88% were passing coursework but dropped because of boredom (Gates Found.)

  4. ‘Key’ School Connections • Guidance counselor • School nurse/psychologist • Tutoring center and after school programs • Career center or computer lab • Existing tutoring and after school programs; • Libraries (both school and public); • Teachers (and the content being taught in the classroom) • Academic clubs (a science club, for example); • Job shadowing and career exploration opportunities *Help mentee create a contact list of all of the ‘helpful’ people in their school building.

  5. Sometimes it is as simple as asking for help! • Help your mentee to ask others for help with • Homework or tutoring • Ride to or from somewhere • To participate in an activity/group • To remedy a situation • Teach your mentee the appropriate response to rejection * Ask, what do you need help with this week?

  6. Connections to Peers • Peer groups • If youth hang out with kids making high risk choices they are more likely to make high risk choices themselves • Encourage involvement with positive peer groups and activities • Discuss the barriers to being involved • Access TeamMates staff or school personnel for ideas to manage roadblocks • Practice how to handle difficult situations and know how you will answer difficult questions

  7. Connections to Peers • Cyberspace • Social networking sites like MySpace Facebook • Cyberbullying or stalking • Enticement & manipulation • Inappropriate content including sex, violence • Long term implications of on-line info *Attend internet trainings held by local law enforcement if available.

  8. Connections to Help • Reporting concerns • Must report suspected abuse • Follow the procedure established for your program • If you are worried about behaviors contact TeamMates staff or school personnel

  9. Connections to Life Skills • Cover the basics • Money management • Basic self-care like laundry, cooking • Time management, organization • Study skills • Hygiene *Check out the web-site www.thesurvivalseries.com

  10. Connection to Employment • How to get and keep a job • Applications • On-line vs. in person • Interviews • Appropriate dress, speech, do’s and don’ts • Practice interview questions • Being a good employee • Communicating with supervisor and other employees

  11. Connection to College • Encourage youth to believe they can go to college • Discuss career interests • Review 4 year plan for high school • Explore all types of college/training • Check out opportunities at www.educationquest.org (Nebraska) www.icansucceed.org (Iowa) *Connect with TeamMates staff regarding a possible job-shadowing opportunity

  12. Summary Don’t underestimate the power of the “little things” you do or discuss. When in doubt ask for help. What are you thinking?

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