Program highlight: HOPE for Kids

This guest post is courtesy of Fran Longton, HOPE for Kids program director at HOPE (House of Peace and Education, Inc.) in Gardner. Fran answered some questions from Mass Mentoring regarding her program and its 2012 National Mentoring Month events. HOPE is again a program partner for the 2013 National Mentoring Month initiative in January.

1. What is your role at the organization? Please give us some information about your program.
   I am the HOPE for Kids Program Director at the House of Peace & Education, Inc. (HOPE) a non-profit agency in Gardner, MA. HOPE was founded in 1996 by four sisters of St. Joseph, an order of Catholic sisters from Holyoke, and has expanded and evolved over time to a community agency. Our mission is “HOPE empowers women and children to believe in themselves, to learn new skills and to use those skills to live their best possible lives.” HOPE has two programs to carry forward our mission of helping low-income women and at-risk children. HOPE for Women is a computer and jobs skills training program serving income qualified women. HOPE for Kids serves more than 150 children in grades K-8 in three after-school programs and a summer program.  Mentoring is at the core of both HOPE programs and is a vital aspect of the success of our participants.
2. Why is mentoring important?
   In the HOPE for Kids program, mentoring is an essential element of our programs. Staff and volunteers provide positive role modeling, encouragement and support in addition to tutoring services for our participants. Many of our participants receive the extra “T.L.C.” from their mentors that is sometimes lacking at home. The mentors provide not only academic support, but the positive interactions that promote healthy development in the children. The mentors fill a critical role in carrying out the HOPE mission and are highly valued members of our team.
3. What did your program do to celebrate National Mentoring Month 2012?
   HOPE for Kids staff organized a volunteer appreciation night, “It’s All About You” to recognize our dedicated mentors. Guests shared a lasagna dinner from a local caterer and a variety of homemade desserts. Gift bags with small tokens of appreciation, including book marks provided by MMP were place at each table setting. The event enabled volunteers from the different components of the HOPE for Kids program to get acquainted with each other and staff. Mentors were recognized individually with the presentation of certificates of appreciation. The local newspaper covered our event and the article was on the front page the following day!
4. What was the outcome of your event?
   The event was enjoyed by all attendees and it was a great night! 28 of 40 volunteers were able to attend, along with our interim director and our five HOPE for Kids staff members. Thank you to MMP for giving HOPE the opportunity to recognize our mentors with a special event.
5. How people can get in touch for additional information? HOPE has a website: www.hopegardner.org or they may email me, Fran Longton: flongton@hopegardner.org or call: 978-630-4752, ext. 30.

Program highlight: South Boston T.E.A.M.

This guest post is courtesy of Bo Nicholson, program coordinator at South Boston T.E.A.M. Bo answered some questions from Mass Mentoring regarding her program and its National Mentoring Month events.

1. What is your role at the organization? Please give us some information about your program.

My name is Bo Nicholson, and I have been the program coordinator of the T.E.A.M. program since August 2010. I am involved in the recruitment, screening, and training of our program’s participants, and I also provide ongoing match support and case management to families as they need it. T.E.A.M., Together Engaging Adolescents through Mentoring, is a one-to-one, community-based mentoring program that pairs youth from South Boston with caring, energetic adults who serve as supports, friends and guides. Our mentors are adults (22-years-old and over) from all over the Greater Boston area who represent a wide variety of fields, talents and interests, and who make a decision to partner with a young person who could use a friend.

2. Why mentoring is important?

Growing up on Cape Cod, I had the opportunity to blossom among a close-knit community of trusted adults, including family members, coaches, friends’ parents, and teachers. The time that each spent with me had a profound impact on my development, and enabled me to understand first hand the importance of having caring adults guide me throughout my life. While the young people in the T.E.A.M. program don’t always say it out loud, we know from watching them grow, hearing stories from their family members, and reading their responses to evaluations that the memories that they share with their mentors are lifelong, and the value of the time spent together is immeasurable. Mentoring is important because it is a powerful tool to help remind young people that they are valued by adults around them, and that they, in turn, should value themselves.

3. What did your program do to celebrate National Mentoring Month?

On Jan. 11, T.E.A.M. held a top-secret nomination party for mentees to nominate their mentors for our first “Mentor of the Year” award. This event was a way for our mentees to reflect on what their mentors mean to them, as well as give their mentors a chance to hear directly about some of the ways in which their commitment has impacted the lives of the youth they care so much about. Youth were asked to respond to the question, “what is one way that your mentor has made a positive difference in your life, and why should s/he win the title of Mentor of the Year’?” Each mentee then sat, reflected, and wrote about how much their mentor means to them and why s/he has earned this honorable title. The winning mentee, Marwa (age 14), and her mentor, Brittany, will enjoy a free dinner at one of the most elegant restaurants in the city – Top of the Hub!

Additionally, this year the T.E.A.M. program chose to celebrate our mentors during a special “Mentor Appreciation Night” on Jan.19, following Youth Mentoring Day at the State House. As a way to let them know how much their efforts and time are appreciated by not only their specific mentee, but also by our program and the entire South Boston community, we treated our mentors to a night out at Felt Lounge in Boston. We had almost an entire floor to ourselves, and we spent the night sharing drinks, munching on appetizers, connecting with friends, playing pool, and sharing stories about the amazing mentoring relationships that have unfolded. It was a great night, attended by not only new and veteran T.E.A.M mentors, but friends alike who were interested in learning more about becoming a mentor. The evening concluded with a short heartwarming speech about the enormous impact our mentors make in the lives of their mentees, as well as the distribution of small gift bags as tokens of our gratitude.

4. What was the outcome of the event?

Both of T.E.A.M.’s events were deemed a large success by staff and program participants alike. Mentor Appreciation Night 2012 marked an 80% increase in attendance from Mentor Appreciation Night 2011, and mentors reported having a great time! T.E.A.M. mentees also reported thoroughly enjoying their essay writing and games at the nomination party, and attendance outcomes for the party were 80% successfully reached (some youth were unable to attend the party due to the fact that the event was held before the time that they arrive home from their respective schools).

5. What was the overall response to the event?

T.E.A.M. mentors were especially appreciative of the event, and were happy to have the opportunity to learn from each other, as well as just hang out and have fun! One mentor summed up her positive experience at the event well:
“Hi Bo,

It was nice seeing you and Emily again, and some mentors with their friends last night. It was wonderful and very informative talking with Tony about his experience mentoring his teen, and Katrina about her experience as well. They gave me some great insights about what it is like to mentor a child or teen. I am looking forward to my training and being matched up with one of the youth, as we discussed last night. With great hope that I can be good match and be a good mentor in your T.E.A.M program.

Again, thank you for the invitation.”

-Eleanor, one of the newest incoming mentors to the T.E.A.M. program.

6. Did you do anything else for National Mentoring Month?

T.E.A.M. staff also participated in Youth Mentoring Day at the State House, the Youth Mentoring Forum, and met with legislators to discuss how mentoring has directly impacted the South Boston Community. T.E.A.M. also sent a National Mentoring Month celebratory email to program participants and Catholic Charities staff in which the results of the mid year evaluation and the winner of the “Mentor of the Year” award were formally announced.

7. How can people get in touch with your program for additional information?

Prospective mentors can feel free to visit our website to learn more about T.E.A.M. and fill out an application at: http://www.ccab.org/youthteam.html. They can also feel free to direct questions to the myself, Bo-Stacey Nicholson, at
(617) 464 – 8578.

Program highlight: Generations Incorporated

This guest post is courtesy of Michael Hart, volunteer recruitment and training AmeriCorps VISTA at Generations Incorporated. Michael answered some questions from Mass Mentoring regarding his program and its National Mentoring Month events.

1. What is your role at the organization? Please give us some information about your program.

Generations Incorporated first opened its doors in 1991 and in the late 1990s we shifted our focus to youth literacy. At Generations Incorporated, we unite older adults with students in Greater-Boston public schools and after-school programs. Our older adult volunteers act as literacy tutors either in one-on-one settings or in small groups.

I am on the recruitment and training team, and along with my other team members I recruit and train volunteers who are interested in helping improve the literacy rates of students in their communities. Through our trainings and our sites, we give our volunteers the tools and the medium to help improve and shape their communities.

2. Why is mentoring important?

I was very fortunate growing up – I had a lot of great people in my life that helped me figure out where I wanted to eventually end up and what I wanted to be doing. Between teachers, various coaches, and my parents, someone was always there to support me. I know I am certainly not alone. I think when we each really take a minute we can picture a mentor that has stood out to us and has helped each one of us to get where we are going. To me, mentoring is about simply supporting your community members and trying to help them get everything they can out of life.

3. What did your program do to celebrate National Mentoring Month?

Our volunteers meet once a month at the schools or after-school programs to talk about upcoming events or participate in trainings. For National Mentoring Month we decided to have one or two members from our volunteer management team bring coffee, donuts, and fruit to all of our sites during their meetings. The volunteers were gracious enough to allow us to use some of their team meetings to thank them for all they do to help make our program so successful.

4. What was the outcome of the event?

We were very pleased with the outcome – we were able to visit 14 of our 17 sites and speak with more than 170 volunteers.

5. What was the overall response to the event?

The response was overwhelmingly positive. Our volunteers expressed that they did appreciate the coffee and food and really liked having someone from our office coming out to the sites, acknowledging and thanking them for their hard work.

6. Did you do anything else for National Mentoring Month?

Along with using all of our social media outlets to create additional awareness for National Mentoring Month, we sent a mailing to some prospective volunteers who had expressed interest in becoming a mentor with Generations Incorporated.

7. How can people can get in touch with your program for additional information?

If people are interested in learning more about mentoring opportunities with Generations Incorporated they are welcome to contact Mike Hart directly at mhart@generationsinc.org or 617.423.0408. People can also learn more by visiting our website at www.generationsinc.org.

Program highlight: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County

This guest post is courtesy of Emily Cutts, YouthServe Americorps member at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire Co. Emily answered some questions from Mass Mentoring regarding her program and its National Mentoring Month events.

1. What is your role at the organization? Please give us some information about your program.

I am the AmeriCorps member at CHD Big Brothers Big Sisters of Hampshire County. I am responsible for outreach and recruitment for our program, as well as working with our Kids to Campus Programs at Amherst College and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Additionally, I help organize and facilitate events for our Bigs and Littles. Our program works with youth who range from 7 to 14-years-old, and matches them with adult mentors in the community.

2. Why is mentoring important?

Within these relationships, youth are given the ability to develop positively and confidently with the benefit of a friend to lean on. These relationships help them thrive as they become adolescents, and give them opportunities to challenge themselves and become productive members of their community.

3. What did your program do to celebrate National Mentoring Month?

Our program hosted an Annual Volunteer Recognition event on Jan. 31. We asked our volunteers, donors, case managers, and board to come together to help us celebrate the wonderful job our volunteers have done. We asked the District Attorney, David Sullivan; Dr. Marta Guevara, director of achievement and equity for Amherst public schools, and our Board President, Michael Gove, to speak at this event. A local a capella group also performed for the volunteers.

4. What was the outcome of the event?

Our event had about 50 people in attendance, including volunteers, board members, staff, our speakers, and donors.

5. What was the overall response to the event?

We feel our event had a positive and excited response. The volunteers who were able to attend ranged from our Community Bigs to our College Bigs, to Bigs who have been matched 4-5 years, to Bigs who have only recently been matched. It was a blend of all the wonderful mentors who make up our program, and this event allowed them to see the diverse community they are a part of.

6. Did you do anything else for National Mentoring Month?

This was our sole event to celebrate mentors in January, besides the positive feedback we give on an individual basis.

7. How people can get in touch with your program for additional information?

To get more information, please contact me, Emily Cutts (YouthServe Americorps) at (413) 259-3351 or at our email, bbbsvolcorps@chd.org.

Program highlight: AFC Mentoring

This guest post is courtesy of Emily Heaton, Highland Street Corps Ambassador of Mentoring at AFC Mentoring. Emily answered some questions from Mass Mentoring regarding her program and its National Mentoring Month events.

1. What is your role at the organization? Please give us some information about your program.


Emily Heaton, from AFC Mentoring

I serve as the recruitment & outreach coordinator at AFC, as well as a Highland Street Corps Ambassador of Mentoring. Adoption & Foster Care (AFC) Mentoring is the only mentoring organization in Massachusetts that caters strictly to youth who have experience with foster care. AFC was founded in 2001 and continues to grow. We match youth who have experience with out-of-home care with caring adult mentors. Our average match length for one-to-one relationships is more than two years. We work to provide consistency in the lives of youth who are experiencing transition.
2. Why is mentoring important?

Mentoring at AFC is considered the best practice for reaching an incredibly poignant goal: to provide a consistent adult in the life of a youth in foster care. For many of the youth in our program, a mentor is the only stable relationship they have. Our goal is consistency – we provide stability in the face of chaos and transition. We provide a lasting friendship. We believe mentoring has the power to influence a young person’s life and to act as a preventative measure against the harsh realities for many youth with experience in foster care, including homelessness, unemployment, and incarceration. Working with an especially vulnerable and often overlooked population, mentoring at AFC is not just beneficial—it often provides youth with opportunities they otherwise would not have had, a person on whom they can depend, and a community in which they can participate and feel safe.

3. What did your program do to celebrate National Mentoring Month?

In honor of National Mentoring Month, AFC used its monthly survey (which goes out to mentors to collect valuable match information and data) to ask which three group events mentors would most likely participate in the following month. Mentors returned the survey and voted on an ice skating event. The mentors then received appreciation gift cards, purchased with the help of Mass Mentoring Partnership, to use on future match “dates” with their mentees. This gift card is meant to help offset the cost of regular mentoring activities.

4. What was the response to the event?

I think this event has received a very positive response from mentors. More than half of our mentors returned the survey, and since many of our mentors spend money on match activities, I know the gift cards will prove to be useful and appreciated.

5. Did you do anything else for National Mentoring Month?

AFC participated in Youth Mentoring Day at the State House, and nominated BNY Mellon for the business category of the Ignite Award. AFC Staff participated that day by attending the program and meeting with our local legislators. An AFC match, mentor Justin Pasquariello and mentee Henry spoke at the Youth Mentoring Forum held by MMP. We have also distributed National Mentoring Month materials here at the office—potential mentors have received “Thank Your Mentor” postcards and NMM bookmarks.

6. How people can get in touch with your program for additional information?

Contact Emily Heaton, Emily@afcmentoring.net or 617-224-1302.