GOALS

Prior to the start of meetings with their mentor, mentees will be able to design what they want their typical mentor meetings to look like (whether that be having someone to vent with, ask advice about the high school process (typically for middle school aged mentees), help with homework, play a game, etc) so they can be matched with their ideal mentor.

 

Mentors (who may be abled or disabled) will be trained prior to meeting with their mentees on common issues youth with conditions face, how to interact with younger children, and how to steer conversations more positively and productively to avoid self depreciation, and improve the mentee's sense of self.

As a cumulative project for the end of this year's program, mentors will help mentees create a biography about their condition, how it affects them, how they are separate from their condition (ie “my condition does not define me”) and what they hope for in their future. Mentors can space this out however they see fit as long as it is done by the end of the program. Length will vary from pair to pair, and is not the most important part. Quality over quantity.

 

A permission slip to be signed by parents (stating that any sharing will be for educational purposes) will be created as far as sharing mentee information (on social media, with schools, etc). Should any parents feel uncomfortable they will have the option of having their child's project shared anonymously (without name and/or picture), or not having it shared on socials at all. At the end mentors and mentees will also fill out a form about their experience so I can evaluate what they’ve personally gained.

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