Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota

Kristin Johnstad, Search Institute, and Alicia Schwarz, Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities, spoke at the March Metro Mentor Network meeting teaching us:

• more about the developmental assets
• how to educate mentors to use this approach
• how to use the assets to support matches, families and outcome based objectives

Research shows mentoring makes a positive difference in academics, behaviors, and social development (Child Trends, 2002) and most parents want other adults to spend time with their kids (Building Strong Families, 2002).  However, adults need permission and encouragement from parents (Grading Grown-Ups, 2002)

When you have great mentors you have great asset builders.  The development assets are the science behind, it takes a village philosophy.  The 40 Developmental assets fall under 8 categories:  support; empowerment; boundaries and expectations; constructive use of time; commitment to learning; positive values; social competencies; and positive identity.

The more developmental assets, the better in the promotion of thriving and in the reduction of risk behaviors.  Survey shows that 41% of youth in grades 6-12 have between 11-20 assets while only 9% maintain 31-40 assets while 15% of youth have 0-10 assets.

Building Assets through Mentoring

• Every adult has a responsibility to mentor
• Every youth needs a mentor
• Parents want and need other adults
• Both formal and informal mentoring matter
• Mentors can intentionally build many assets

It is about naming and being intentional.  Assets give language to what programs are doing.

Johnstad pushed the group to think about the assets in these terms:  what assets align with your program goals?  What ways do you introduce these assts?  What tools/ideas/reminders do you offer for keeping them on the radar screen?

Incorporating Assets into Your Program

Support

• Focus on developing a strong relationship between mentors and mentees
• Build relationships between mentors and parents

Empowerment

• Give opportunities for young people to make decisions in the relationship
• Serve others together as a mentor pair

Boundries and Expectations

• Align expectations and boundries between families and mentors
• Limits and discipline, though not always popular, are part of mentoring

Constructive Use of time

• Introduce young people to opportunities that connect to interests
• Balance activity with down time

Commitment to Learning

• Make tutoring, reading and homework part of the mentoring relationship
• Be interested in their school and school work

Positive Values

• Talk about (and model) shared values that are important to you
• Respect young peoples perspective

Social Competencies

• Give opportunities for young people to develop their own social skills
• Expose young people to people and places from cultures not their own

Positive Identity

• Celebrate young peoples gifts and passions
• Share your dreams

Assets Put into Action

Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Greater Twin Cities has implemented an assets-based approach through their entire program.  Starting with recruitment, BBBS removed the word at-risk from their materials with the understanding all kids need asset-building mentors.

During the screening process, the case worker looks for what assets the child is missing in his/her life and tries to match the child with a Big who possesses these assets.

BBBS has incorporated asset-building tools into trainings.  During monthly and quarterly check-ins, the questions asked by support workers often focus on assets.  The ongoing support offers activities to promote commitment to learning and empowerment through their How you learn activities and mentor pair community service projects.

Finally, BBBSs evaluation is 99% asset-based.  The questionnaire has 21 questions directly related to assets.

The Metro Mentor Network (MMN) exists to build strong healthy communities by providing a forum for support, discussion, sharing of ideas, experiences and resources for establishing and managing diverse volunteer mentor programs.

Meetings run every other month from September through May from 9 - 11:30 a.m.