Extraordinary

Mentoring...

It's awesome to watch the ordinary people who are willing to give of themselves with no real thought to getting anything in return- yet they do get something extraordinary!!


I am also amazed at the courage of parents to reach out for their child and ask for help.


This weekend I had the privilege of watching a family ask for guidance as well as a mentor and mentee begin their relationship. The family is going through some challenges and the kids are now living with their father. There are 2 older boys and one young girl. Dad works 2 jobs to support the kids and he is concerned his little girl is missing "girly things" in her life, so her school counselor called me. Who am I? I am a coordinator at Kids 'n Kinship. What do we do here? Here's how Kids ‘n Kinship works: Mentors and mentees get together on a weekly basis for fun and enriching activities. The mentor/mentee match builds an intentional friendship through sharing hobbies, sports, going to the park, arts & crafts, community events and other opportunities. The program focuses on spending time together and building a relationship. It was delightful to meet this little girl and learn about her interests and things she would love to do with a girl!


The second activity I had the opportunity to participate in this weekend was what we call "making a match" which is when I find a fabulous mentor for one of our incredible kids and they get to meet to begin their relationship. We work really hard at matching kids and adults who are just going to "CLICK" and this weekend was no exception! As soon as we all got together the teen and the mentor started talking and finishing each others sentences and planning things they would do. Mom kept chiming in with how remarkable it was that they had so much in common!!


I am a mom of 4 myself and I applaud the courage it takes for a parent to reach out and ask for help with their child. What I find amazing is the willingness of the parents to trust the well being of their child to another adult - yet, with my personal experience with being a coordinator, I see all the excellent processes that we take and I hope that I can reassure any worries a parent may have. I love being able to connect with parents to talk, encourage and empower them!!.


I see how the children in our program gain so much from having another person in their life that loves them unconditionally. Helping establish these relationships and watching them grow is the biggest benefit of my job!




Do you want to be a part of something like this and make a difference in your community? Check out our website here!!


Smiles!!!
Melynda

Powerful Mentoring!

Sometimes we think of mentors narrowly as those who sign up through a formal program to spend time with a young person. In addition to these formal mentors, informal or everyday mentors can be any trustworthy adult who offers support, guidance, and encouragement to help young people overcome challenges and become their best selves. What specific actions can adults take in their relationships with young people that help youth learn, grow, and thrive? Search Institute's newest research on developmental relationships identifies five essential actions that lay the foundation for a powerful mentoring relationship:   Express Care: Young people value relationships with adults who show they genuinely like them and want the best for them. These relationships help youth know they really matter.   Challenge Growth: Young people value relationships with adults who insist that they do their best to learn and improve.   Provide Support: Young people value relationships with adults who offer tangible, appropriate feedback and guidance in completing tasks and achieving goals--without taking over and doing it for them.   Share Power: Young people value relationships with adults in which they feel their voice is heard and they share in making decisions that affect them. This helps youth develop self-confidence and self-direction.   Expand Possibility: Young people value trustworthy adults who help them broaden their horizons and connect them to opportunities for growth and discovery.  Taken from The Search Institute Here.