Every successful professional can recall the exact moment when the “seed” to succeed was planted by their mentor.
In most cases it was that moment you and someone kind enough to help your career forged a bond in mentorship. That one person you fondly remember as your first (and maybe only) mentor was the catalyst that woke you up to the potential that lay within your mind and soul. Your mentor was the person who showed you what you could become with effort and attentive skills to listen and apply those golden nuggets of advice and wisdom.
Now it is your turn to, “pay it forward” as they say. Where to begin? That eager and youthful face is staring at you with an eagerness that beckons you to help a young and inexperienced soul learn the ropes of the employment market.
Take a deep breath and set your jaw squarely!
Identify and Establish Communication Needs
Tip #1: Always actively listen!
Tip #2: Always be authentic in sharing your thoughts and feelings
Tip #3: Instill accountability and follow up regularly.
Tip #4: Focus on mentee’s learning goals and learning needs
Establish, Address and Foster Social and Professional Needs
Tip #5: Invest and exert effort in establishing a healthy climate for learning.
Tip# 6: Ascertain and exercise multiple methods of communication.
Tip #7: Set aside important one-on-one time with the mentee.
Tip #8: Validate that communication effort is resulting in effective and meaningful learning.
Tip #9: Provide hands-on training and all of the resources available at your disposal.
Tip #10: Remove Power & Command to foster the learning environment. The mentee must feel he or she can take risks without fear of reprisal. By removing this obstacle (yes, within the mentor/mentee learning enviornment it is!) you remove anxiousness foster a sense of safety and acceptance.
Encourage Mentee to Establish a Record of Experience
Tip #11: by having the mentee keep a journal of his or her mentoring experi1nce they, too, will one day have a record in which to draw upon to “pay it forward.”
Tip #12: Encourage the mentee to express, both verbally and in written form (remember, they have a journal of their experience, right?), their experiences in learning and how they can apply their learning to the work environment and in their personal lives.
Mentoring has been an ongoing practice throughout history and people continue to realize the importance and gratification that comes with investing in others. The intelligent manager will realize that by investing in mentoring those around them they also invest within the organization they all work within. Effective mentoring is a powerful leverage between product and services and human capital — taking care of one serves to support the other two areas that are critical for business prosperity.
And finally, why should you place a high premium on mentoring?
- Mentoring provides you with a link to the younger generation and what changes are happening within the industry and business sector.
- Continued rapport with your mentee facilitates a renewal/sharpening of your communicative skills.
- Mentoring is an excellent vehicle in which to transfer corporate knowledge.
- Leverage your knowledge and experience to better prepare the organization for the future.
- You can tailor the transfer of information and knowledge to the most pressing issues and needs of the organization.
And, it feels really wonderful to help another soul.
Try it sometime!
[About the Author: Phil Robles is an IT professional with over 15 years experience working numerous IT roles within 5 major industries. He is also a business owner (DaVinciworks™ & SMEOracle™). Phil is an Air Force veteran, has a B.S. Social Psychology degree from Park University, a Master, Information Systems degree from University of Phoenix, AZ, and is currently working on his Doctorate in Management and Organizational Leadership with a specialty in IT Services, University of Phoenix, AZ.]
Watch the video related to youth mentoring
The Federal Government has ceased to financially support the Cairns Youth Mentoring Scheme, an early intervention programme that helps young people from 12 to 21 years achieve life goals who are often disadvanttaged due to family situation or social skills. SEE www.CairnsBlog.net
Help answer the question about youth mentoring
How do I make my own tv commercial for my small non-profit youth development company for services offered?I run a nonprofit mentoring program in my community, and I'm interested in tv advertising for mentors and youth. I would like to cut cost by making my own commercial to submit to the local tv station. How can I find help to do this myself?
About Author
Phil Robles is an IT professional with over 15 years experience working numerous IT roles within 5 major industries. He is also a business owner (DaVinciworks™ & SMEOracle™). Phil is an Air Force veteran, has a B.S. Social Psychology degree from Park University, a Master, Information Systems degree from University of Phoenix, AZ, and is currently working on his Doctorate in Management and Organizational Leadership with a specialty in IT Services, University of Phoenix, AZ.]
About the Author:
I am an IT professional and business owner.
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Tags: Cairns, Cairns Youth Mentoring, Council, young people
I've volunteered with several youth programs, and I've had some pretty positive experiences with all of them. I currently work with several programs. I am an active "Big" in the Big Brothers Big Sisters organization:
http://www.bbbs.org
I'm on my second match, and it's been a lot of fun. Even though at times you may not realize the impact that you are making, it's all of the little moments that make it worthwhile.
I also volunteer through my volunteer center to tutor children at the library and work at the local children's shelter. I've found the most variety through the volunteer center:
http://www.handsonnetwork.org/our-network/
http://www.pointsoflight.org/c.....center.cfm
http://national.unitedway.org
It all depends on the type of time commitment, and what you are looking for in a program. If you are looking for a one-on-one match, then I would suggest that Big Brothers is a very good program. If you are looking for general mentoring opportunities, I think your volunteer center may be able to help you find stuff that will have a shorter time frame to get started. In both cases with Big Brothers, it did take quite a bit of time before I was matched, and a longer time in order to build a relationship with my match.
Good luck!
I lost my job 6 months ago, but I've finally found something I can do at home to make some exta money to help make ends meet. By no means am I rich, but every penny helps. Try it yourself. http://www.goodinternetdeals.com/Work-At-Home.html
Get involved with area schools, churches, youth groups, sports leagues and scout groups. Write to their community service coordinators (or whoever would best fit this description) and ask to be put on a list of organizations looking for help.
In particular, find out who in your community encourages or requires community service. Ask kids to run small grade-level or school/church/team wide drive for the items you're looking for. Do it in advance so you can bank the bulk of the items for the coming year and fill in as necessary. 5 kids with 20 friends each bringing 1 school item equals 10 filled backpacks. Get a whole school involved and you may be able to cover your program for the year and attract new donations.
Also consider getting volunteers involved in more direct ways. People who are invested in a program are more likely to support it financially.
I run a small non-profit and I've been spreading the word about our program to supply gently used sports uniforms and footwear to kids in rural Mexico. I was just contacted by a family whose 4th grader is interested in running a drive at his school as part of a run for class office. Apparently it's a tradition at his school to prove one's leadership through such a project. I know he won't be able to supply a very large part of what we need, but every little bit helps and the publicity we'll get out of it will be very valuable. We'll run a thank-you in the newspaper, put his face on our website and benefit from the word-of-mouth publicity at his school.
you can make them an exact clone of you!
Watch the new episode of Clone Wars, on Cartoon Channel!
i would say to talk with a salvation army family shelter director.
You won't get rich but there are lots of jobs available.
It's stressful though — there is high turnover because of the hours vs. the amount of pay.
You can be a mentor without it being your job — lots of kids need mentors.
(At first I thought you were talking about being a youth pastor)
Big Brothers/Big Sisters is a great mentoring program.
You are going to need help to do it. TV stations won't run commercials that don't meet their standards. Hunt down local TV production students or even public-access TV afficionados.
I make my own infomercials for the internet… but making commericals for TV is a different game altogether.,
I would start by going to a city hall meeting for the city that you're interested in and see how they operate. After the meeting, talk to the Chair of the commission and see if he or she may be interested in such a program. Then ask them how you can put discussion of this on the next meeting's agenda. You will likely have to give a short presentation of the program and answer questions by council members and other citizens that come to the meetings. It will help if you can get the support of teachers in local schools and make sure that they show up at the meeting to support you.
Hope that helps!