WINNEMUCCA - National Mentoring Month aims to encourage adults in communities across the nation to serve as guides, role models, and friends to young people.
According to the official web site of National Mentoring month, a mentor is an adult who befriends but also guides a child to set positive goals, overcome obstacles to reaching those goals, and discover their personal strengths along the way.
While the younger individual or group of children or teens is expected to treat their mentor with respect, the mentor is not there to act as a babysitter or a disciplinarian. A mentor is not intended to replace a parent, teacher, pastor, guidance counselor, or any other caring adult in the child's life, but is part of a team that includes all other positive adult role models.
An adult who mentors a child or teen might help the younger person set career goals and carry out a plan to reach those goals, assist the child with school work, or guide them through a specific issue they are dealing with at home or school.
Mentors may also serve other adults who need professional guidance or assistance in navigating a certain phase of life such as new parenthood, their first term in college, or retirement.
Winnemucca residents have a unique opportunity to participate in National Mentoring Month by applying for a position with Americorps.
"The AmeriCorps position that we are looking to fill at Lowry High School is called Parent Involvement Facilitator and 9th Grade Mentor," said Americorps Program Director Cathy Yates. She described the duties of the position as one of service to young teens, their parents, and the community.
"The primary responsibilities of this position are contacting parents of 9th grade youth, deemed at high risk of not graduating, coaching parents in the use of power school, providing information on supplementary, local resources to families, compiling data on attendance and hours spent assisting families, interacting closely with high school staff and the Truancy Court, and attendance at AmeriCorps team meetings and national service projects," she explained.
Qualifications to serve as a mentor vary by program and position. Yated described the specific criteria for the current local opening.
"The qualifications for this position are pursuing a Bachelor's degree in social services, criminal justice or a similar field, or demonstrated skill in client services and/or customer service, advanced Math and literacy skills, and excellent communication skills," she said. " The ideal candidate for AmeriCorps is someone who is looking to develop skills and or changing careers and seeking experience in working with youth. The ideal candidate for this particular position would also love working with teenagers and with adults, be a strong, mature role model and be responsible and reliable."
Yates noted that the person who fills this position will be providing a service to local students that will impact both their current lives and their futures.
"I believe that all students need strong adult role models who can help provide academic and career guidance," she said.
Andy Hart, Nevada Outdoor School's Executive Director, discussed some other mentoring opportunities with Americorps. These activities may not be traditional mentoring jobs, but they each involve someone with knowledge or skills guiding someone else through a situation or a stage in life.
"AmeriCorps' main goal is to provide opportunities for Americans to improve the lives of their fellow citizens through service. Specific problem areas that AmeriCorps targets include education, economic opportunity, health, veterans and the environment," he said. "Many of these service areas offer the opportunity to improve communities through mentoring, from assisting seniors to access health and wellness benefits, to providing safe, positive afterschool environments for at risk youth, to in-school tutoring and academic enhancement. AmeriCorps members may act in a mentor capacity as summer camp counselors, advocates vulnerable population,or working with the homeless."
Hart encouraged local residents to become involved in programs run by Nevada Outdoor School, other Americorps programs, and any other types of mentoring programs or situations that may become available in our community. He noted that coaches, club leaders, and others who provide positive guidance to those who are younger and/or less experienced than they are in any area are acting as mentors.
"I think the opportunities are only limited by one's imagination," Hart said.
Winnemucca residents who would like more information on opportunities to mentor through Nevada Outdoor School or other Americorps programs are invited to visit www.nevadaoutdoorschool.org. Those who would like to start a youth program through National Mentoring month may wish to visit www.mentoring.org.
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