The absence of supervised neighborhood youth programs, coupled with the increase of children with two working parents or single-parent homes, has stripped many U.S. youths of adult role models, according to Solutions for America, a division of the Pew Partnership for Civic Change, an organization that promotes program support and consulting for nonprofit agencies, foundations and community-outreach programs. However, you can make a profound difference in the life of a child by completing a youth mentoring training program and becoming a trusted adviser to a child or teen in jeopardy of not living up to his full potential.
Function
Youth mentoring training programs prepare you for volunteer or salaried positions with private companies, government-funded programs or community-based nonprofit organizations. The main goal of youth mentoring programs is to teach you how to develop positive, trusting relationships with troubled children or adolescents so they can become well-adjusted, productive adults.
Curriculum
Although youth mentoring programs vary widely, some types of classes offered include anger management, cultural dynamics, adolescent mentoring practices and effective mentoring techniques. Additional training might include goal-setting directives, decision making methods, leadership training, record keeping, inter-agency communication, and effective communication and listening skills. Other key training areas include setting boundaries for interactions with the family members of youths, explanation of the youth justice system and current discussions of issues that disadvantaged youths face at home, at school and in the communities.
Considerations
Most organizations require that you submit to a background check before you become a youth mentoring program candidate. Additionally, you should be able to demonstrate the ability to offer concrete answers on how you would help your youth create positive relationships in her life and support her goals without becoming too pushy or overbearing. Furthermore, the youth mentoring training program staff might assess you throughout different stages of your training to ensure that your suitability and dedication to the program remains satisfactory. If your class participation, grades, attitude or overall grasp of your responsibilities appears substandard, you might be dismissed from the program, according to the Youth Justice Board, a nondepartmental, executive public body that oversees volunteer youth mentor training in Wales and England.
Ongoing Education
After completing a youth mentoring training program and securing a volunteer or paid position, you might have to continue perfecting your craft through continuing education classes or supervised projects at the recommendation of your employer.
