New York – Mentoring Young Refugees |
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March 14th, 2007 - 11:18AM |
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Photo: The IRC By Erica Schmidt, youth program specialist at the IRC's New York resettlement office. Erica coordinates a mentoring program for young refugees based on the Big Brothers Big Sisters model, which she describes below. Erica graduated from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas, with a double degree in Anthropology and Sociology. After studying abroad in Uganda, she spent the past academic year teaching English in Madagascar and working with a malaria education program in Uganda. Services to refugee youth are needed today in New York City just as they are in other resettlement cities. In 2006, approximately 47% of all refugees admitted to the United States fell below the age of twenty-one; this percentage is too large to disregard youth services. In 1992, Big Brothers Big Sisters found that 80% of children in its mentoring program did better in school, had better relationships with parents and peers, stayed out of trouble, and experienced increased self-esteem as a direct result of having a mentor, proving that mentoring is one of the most effective ways to positively influence the lives of at-risk youth. In order to address the needs of refugee youth, IRC New York is excited to launch a new mentoring component for its youth program. The mentor program at the organization will serve recently resettled youth ages eight to seventeen in all boroughs of New York City by matching them with adult mentors. The mentee will be a client of the IRC and be in need of personal, cultural and/or academic enrichment. It is our hope that the mentor program will create a space for each young person to explore who they are, where they now live and American culture. The purpose of this program at the IRC is to boost confidence of participants and create stable and strong relationships between responsible, caring adults in the New York City area and newly or recently resettled refugee youth. This past fall, I completed a 32-hour mentor supervision course through Fordham University’s Graduate School of Social Service and Big Brothers Big Sisters of NYC. It was great to have access to Big Brothers Big Sisters and learn their reasons for doing what they do and how their program has become so successful. During the time I attended class, we covered topics and issues pertinent to creating and sustaining a mentor program, such as volunteer screening, matching youth with adult volunteers and working with parents and guardians. At its most basic level, the class gave me the knowledge and skills to begin a mentor program. The mentor supervision course also provided important lessons that helped prepare me for managing a successful mentor program. These lessons emphasized the importance of a solid orientation and screening process and that proper supervision is central to a program’s success. The screening process takes time and volunteers must indicate a serious commitment in order to be matched with youth. Applicants first attend a general orientation where they have an opportunity to ask questions or discuss concerns before they apply. Not everyone who attends the orientation goes on to apply, and applications received after each orientation are from adults who are serious about the volunteer position they seek. Once an application has been reviewed, I thoroughly interview the applicant in order to better understand their background and personality and ensure the adult is genuine in his/her desire to become a successful mentor. Fingerprinting and SafetyNet Mentor background checks are done for security measures. If the applicant passes these security measures, he/she attends a group training and is informed if the IRC would like them to become mentors. Shortly thereafter, mentors receive their mentor matches. The mentor supervision training carefully explained each of the steps in the screening process, which helped me structure IRC NY’s program during its first couple months. The class also guided students in the proper supervision of volunteer mentors. Though the screening process often eliminates inappropriate applicants, proper supervision is as crucial to the success of a mentor program. Lessons from the class stressed the importance of periodically clarifying the role of the supervisor and how to address issues that arise throughout the mentor cycle. Scenarios about challenges involving supervisors and mentors were discussed at length; the class also provided guidance on the best ways to react in certain situations. As the sole supervisor for IRC NY’s mentor program, these and other sessions allowed me to become familiar and comfortable with screening and supervising mentors. Since the training ended in December, IRC NY has held two orientations for over 50 interested adults; five promising candidates submitted their applications for screening. The mentor component promises to be a fantastic addition to the youth program as it provides intensive support and mentoring opportunities for IRC youth in New York City. Posted By: theirc | Children & Youth, Refugees in the U.S. Permalink |
