 Register Your Program With MENTOR |
Every year hundreds of volunteers visit the website of our National Organization, MENTOR, to explore volunteer opportunities. Using the convenient zip finder, they are able to locate mentoring programs near their home or workplace. But - they can't find your program if you're not registered.
Visit MENTOR's website and register your program now. It's a simple process. There may be volunteers out there looking for a program like yours, but you'll never know unless you register. |
| Planning a Field Trip? |
How many of you are planning a field trip for your mentoring program or would love to plan one if not for monetary constraints? If so, you should be aware of a very generous grant program available through Target.
This is a national program; however, Target will be awarding 5,000 grants of amounts up to $800. You have until November 3rd, 2009 to apply. The application process is not cumbersome and can be done online. Visit the Target website for more information about the Field Trip program and to access information about destinations of past winners and the online application. |
| Are Your Mentors Trained? |
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Most of you have received several emails from MPLI on training related matters as part of our overall effort to communicate more frequently and more effectively. Fall is our busiest training season as many of the new programs we've helped get started are about to begin. But - the fall should also be a time for many of our existing programs to make sure that all new mentors you've added over the past year take advantage of our Mentor Training Class (Mentoring 101).
Mentor training is not rocket science and certain aspects of mentoring are clearly intuitive. The question "Why train?" is not a crazy one for some of you to be asking. There is a reason though why every mentor should go through training.
Public/Private Ventures, a not-for-profit service agency, has researched mentoring relationships and their successes and failures extensively. They determined that "most mentors...are dissatisfied because they are not adequately prepared for their roles as mentors with essential information about the characteristics of youth."
Mentoring 101 answers the why, what and how questions. Mentors should understand why being a mentor is important for youth and our communities. 101 addresses the what - what will the role of the mentor be, not parent, not street buddy? The how - how will mentors and mentees relate, how will they understand each other, how will this relationship move forward in a positive way? Visit our training calendar to find dates that are convenient for newly recruited mentors. The classes are held frequently, especially during the fall, and are held at night in Hauppauge between 7 and 9 pm to accomodate those that work during the daytime. Additionally - Coordinators can attend our "Train the Trainer" class on Tuesday November 17th. Remember - even the most committed and enthusiastic mentors often do not have a clue what's going on in kids' lives today or what realistic expectations should be. |
CHANGE YOUR LIFE! BE A MENTOR.