Youth mentoring Programs: Training Adult Mentors
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WHY TRAIN ADULT MENTORS?
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WHEN DO YOU TRAIN ADULT MENTORS?
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WHO SHOULD TRAIN YOUR ADULT MENTORS?
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WHERE SHOULD THE TRAINING BE HELD?
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HOW DO YOU TRAIN ADULT MENTORS?
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WHERE SHOULD THE TRAINING BE HELD?
WHY TRAIN ADULT MENTORS?
You've screened the applications, conducted the interviews, checked the references, and even started thinking about which adult mentor will work best with each protégé. So you're ready to introduce the pairs to one another and get your mentoring program under way, right?
Not quite. You've left out a very important step: Training your adult mentors.
Training adult mentors is important for several reasons. Even though they've made it through your group's screening process, newly recruited mentors may still have a number of questions. They may need to learn about or brush up on such skills as communication and problem solving. They will certainly need to learn more about the program's goals and expectations. And by learning more about the program and its expectations, mentors may find it easier to meet his or their own goals, as well.
Training adult mentors helps them develop the skills they will need to create successful and effective relationships with their protégés. The training may include an orientation; an overview of the mentor's -, and the protégé's - responsibilities; and instruction on listening and problem solving skills, conflict resolution, goal setting, available community resources, and dealing with the protégé's family. Suggestions for icebreakers to make new mentors and proteges more comfortable with each other would also be useful here.
WHEN SHOULD YOU TRAIN ADULT MENTORS?
If possible, right away! Optimally, you will want to train your mentors as soon as they start the program. However, if you have mentors joining the program continually throughout the year, it may not be feasible for them to attend--or for you or your organization to set up--individual training sessions, particularly if you offer extensive, in-depth training. If this is your situation, you may wish to hold comprehensive training sessions three or four times a year.
As adult mentors enter your program, you can give them written materials, including such information as the history and purpose of your program, an outline of the mentor's role and responsibilities, and a list of outside resources such as hotlines, teachers, and social workers. You might let mentors so equipped begin work right away, with training to come with the first available training session. In general, though, unless there’s a crying need for immediate matchups, you’d probably wait to pair mentors and proteges until after mentors had been through a complete training.
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