Make a difference...Mentor!

Forest Park Street School is currently accepting applications for its mentoring initiative which focuses on preparing youth to transition from adolescence to adulthood. 

Types of Volunteer Opportunities:
-One on One and Group Mentoring
-Workshop Facilitators
-Tutors
-Advisory Board Members

Program Highlights:
-Monthly life skills training:  goal setting, spiritual enrichment, public speaking, problem solving/conflict resolution, etiquette, leadership, economic empowerment, image building, personal branding
-Exposure to cultural activities & field trips
-Post secondary education and/or career placement

Requirements/Time Commitment:
-21 years or older
-Background screening
-Commit to 15 month minimum
-Spend a minimum of 8 hours or one day per month one-on-one with mentee
-Communicate with mentee weekly
-Attend an initial two hour training session
-Attend mentor/mentee group events, mentor support groups and program recognition events

For more information, contact Paula Palmer Green at 404-363-9600 or paulapalmergreen@gmail.com.

Location:
Forest Park Street School
260 Forest Parkway
Forest Park, GA 30298
www.fpss.org

Mayor Reed's Centers of Hope Project

Location: Thomasville Recreation Center

                    1835 Henry Thomas Drive

                    Atlanta, Ga 30315

Description: Volunteer opportunities involve working with children in the after school program at the Thomasville Recreation Center. Positions available include volunteer tutors, gym volunteers, volunteer dance instructor, volunteer music instructor, volunteer drama instructor, teen program volunteer, and general volunteers. Volunteers are needed anytime between 2:30-6pm M, T, W, Th, and F.

Contact: Phoebe Kann

                 Volunteer Coordinator/AmeriCorps VISTA

                 pkann@handsonatlanta.org

                 (404) 979-2771

Website: iamatlanta.org

Culture Connect Mentor

The Go-Betweener® Mentoring Program

Immigrants and refugees, especially children and adolescents, have the experience of "going between" their culture at home and American culture at school and in the community. This can prove to be especially confusing and challenging as these youth are often able to learn English and adapt to American culture faster than their parents. Sometimes, there may be little support and guidance present as their parents are working long hours at multiple jobs to survive. These children and adolescents are at particularly high risk for falling behind in school, dropping out, and becoming involved with drug abuse and gangs.

We match these youth very specifically with adult mentors who share 3 important characteristics with them:

1. They are also immigrants or refugees.
2. They are from the same (or similar) cultural background.
3. They speak the same home language.

This way, they are able to relate to and support their mentee in a way that no one else could. They understand the unique challenges that their mentees face, and they are able to communicate effectively with their families - connecting them with resources in the community and helping them to learn to be successful in the United States while maintaining their roots with their home culture.

What are the requirements? You must:

• Be between 18-50 years old
• Be 1st/1.5/2nd generation immigrant or refugee
• Have reliable transportation
• Speak English fluently
• Speak the target language fluently
• Commit to spend time with your mentee at least twice per month for a minimum of 1 year

Want more information about being a mentor? Download our informative PDF. If you cannot read the PDF, download Adobe Reader for free.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please download and fill out this application and email it to volunteer.coordinator@cultureconnectinc.org, fax it to 404-292-8458, or send it by mail to P.O. Box 250, Clarkston, GA 30021. If you have questions about this program please contact us.

Ezra Project

We are a nonprofit organization that works with 8^th grade boys at Brown Middle School in Atlanta, GA. (Brown is located on Peebles St. in the west end; approx. 2 mi from Morehouse.) We are looking for mentor volunteers. Someone who can invest “positive” time in and with the boys. The word “mentor” brings up sort of a stereotypical notion; our definition of mentoring is relational, yet the personality and creativity of the mentor is welcome to come forth as they present a positive impression on the students.

We welcome your creativity in determining what time is spent, events attended, educational or recreational style, etc.; as long as “quality” time is the objective. Group collaborations are a good way to involve your peers in volunteering. For example, one engineering major from Morehouse thought to incorporate the boys in a Lego-like building project. Athletes let the boys attend their practices, give them tickets to games. Law students may let the boys attend mock trials or debates – things like that. Dare to be as creative as you like!!

The most important thing is commitment. No matter how little or much time you can give, the boys being able to count on you is the key. We are looking for twenty volunteers that have “some” time to invest in another young student. For those interested, please contact Stan Wardsworth (ezra.foundation@gmail.com) either by phone or email, I will arrange a time to meet with you (Collectively is best, but we understand your busy schedules.) We look forward to having you be a part of the work that is so much needed. 

Information: 

http://ezra-foundation.org/

Youth Connections, Inc.

CRITICAL NEED FOR MENTORS

Youth Connections Inc’s., Soaring Towards Excellence Program (STEP I) is a 501(c)(3) Mentoring Program whose focus is to match positive mentors to mentees that are coping with having an incarcerated parent.  We have a critical need for mentors. 

We feel that it is our mission to break the cycle of behaviors and actions that lead to incarceration.  We need caring mentors who are willing to show these children that there is another road they can choose. 

For more information or to take action and participate, contact the STEP I office in Atlanta by calling Deirdre Reynolds at 404.474.7479 or by emailing dreynolds@youth-connect.net. 

Become a Mentor and Change the life of a Child.

Full Circle Mentoring

Full Circle Mentoring is a non-profit agency that provides an array of services to the youth in our communities.  It is Full Circle Mentoring's belief that our youth are our future.  We place strong emphasis on providing guidance and leadership in strong efforts to ensure a positive future.  It is also Full Circle Mentoring's belief that building a strong community foundation will reduce the negativity that will often interfere with the progression of the positivity of our society.  Full Circle Mentoring is committed to implementing effective plans to ensure that our communities will prosper with the drive and commitment to our youth.

The Full Circle Mentoring team consists of licensed therapists, educational advocates, mentors, nurses, psychologists, and group facilitators. 

Volunteers are needed in the following areas:  mentoring, educational preparation, life skills training, health & wellness awareness, and grandparent adoption.

Contact:
678-701-7724

Location:
3275 Ward Dr.
Atlanta, GA 30354

Website:
www.fullcirclementoringinc.org

A Rare View

A Rare View is a non-profit organization that specializes in developing educational programs that help break the cycle of academic failure and crime among at-risk youth and juvenile offenders.  iMobile Learning Center is a program of A Rare View.

Volunteer college students are needed for youth cooperative tutoring program.  All majors needed to tutor at-risk middle and high school students.  All tutoring is done on board iMobile Learning Center.  This is a youth developed and run program, so join us and bring your ideas and skills because you rock for education.

Seeking the following majors:  education, business, law, art, marketing, accounting, psychology, information technology, music.

Visit our website at www.arareview.org for more information. 

YES! Atlanta

YES! Atlanta transforms the lives of "at-risk" youth ages 14-17 through educational and personal development coaching. 

We believe in second chances for our children. Since 1988 we have striven to eradicate the high dropout rate in our public schools that is strongly correlated to eventual incarceration.  Yes! Atlanta has helped 1,000 students overcome the obstacles that stood in the way of their high school graduation.  We are very proud that 70%+ of our students leave the juvenile system.

Yes! works with teachers, parents, the judicial system to help “at-risk” students graduate.  Through our programs, our youth learn the value of educational advancement, and the life skills to break their cycle of negativity.  Following the intensive, our youth re-engage in school attendance, improve academic performance, have better relationships, and a better worldview.

While youth enter our program through our partners, they may continue to participate voluntarily until graduation or placement in college or vocational school.

Scope of Activities
Youth Intensive
We provide a “Youth Intensive” course that provides hope and a new path for “at risk” youth.  Our five-day intensive addresses the key issues impacting our students, including hopelessness, distrust of others, and low self-esteem.  From group activities to guest speakers, the youth are challenged to think and behave in new ways that are beneficial to themselves and their long-term success.

Coaching For Success
We accept 50-60 youth capable of escaping the cycle of underperformance for a weekly tutoring session titled “Coaching for Success.”  Most of our youth come to the program through the judicial system for non-violent events such as school truancy.  We provide a safe atmosphere, and students attend voluntarily, which we believe is key to their understanding of responsibility and opportunity.  While we sustain the “program,” the key ingredient to our program is the bond between our tutors and the youth.  To complement the education sessions, we occasionally take the youth to various arts, sports, or other community events to expand their worlds.