Mentoring - Chapel Vision

Our goal is to create a meaningful mentoring relationship for youth in the City of Detroit, especially for those who reside in the area of Mt. Olivet and Conner Neighborhoods. To establish activities that stimulate growth and development, more particularly those whose circumstances seriously compromises their opportunity to succeed, with our specific focus on youth whose parent are incarcerated.

To achieve this purpose, Chapel Vision shall collaborate with private, corporate and religious entities to promote healthy growth and development among our youth.

Goals

Supportive adults can positively influence children who have a history of disruption, which may come as a result of a parent’s incarceration. Consequently they may view themselves as unworthy of care and view others as untrustworthy and unreliable. The goals of this mentoring program are:

1. Fewer behavioral problems

2. Improved social skills

3. Reduction in school problems

4. Mentee become more trusting

Targeted Youth

Priority will be given to those at-risk youth which will consist of those with absent parent, problems at school, stigma of poverty and low self esteem. We will focus on those youth between the ages of five(5) and seventeen(17) who are in need of a caring adult. Our startup program will consist of a minimum of 12 youth and 12 adults, a one-on-one relationship.

Our special youth are often, and in many cases on a daily basis, faced with challenges that affect their behavior and development. This include such things as:

1. Their role in the family

2. The role of other family members and

3. Their feeling of helplessness, which often time leads to aggressive and violent behavior.

Recruitment:

1. Mentee: In order to identify youth for our mentoring program we will work with and through the Angel Tree Program, school referrals, participating churches and community groups as some children may reside with many people.

2. Mentor: Most of us as adults have had a supervisor, a boss or coach who has made a positive difference in our lives. Those people wore many hats. They acted as delegators, role models, cheerleaders, policy enforcers, advocates and friends. Accordingly, the mentors participating in Chapel Vision Mentoring Program will be those adults who have worn many hats. We will recruit adults of good character with a sincere desire to be involved in a young person’s growth and who will avoid any activity that will hinder their development.

Ongoing Activities

1. School related projects

2. Hobbies that you like

3. Outings with family

4. Outing with social group

5. Visit to zoo

6. Visit & explore Museums

7. Reading together

8. An afternoon at the park

Growth/Retention

For those youth that are not yet being served, we will meet and network with block clubs, caregivers, community groups, church groups,,, being patient, realizing that time is needed to build a relationship, especially with a young person whose past relationship have not always been stable.

Our primary goal is to support youth development through a caring relationship by involving them in healthy activities with opportunities for responsibility and contribution.

Ensuring Continued Improvement and Growth

We will share with our youth on an ongoing basis our successful life experiences. This will include both tangible and intangible experiences. This will include such things as good sportsmanship to anger management and displacing good manners. In addition, we will share career goals so as to help our young people to look forward in a positive way toward further education and job goals.

Measurement

1. Citizenship report card from school

2. Home behavior

3. Interaction with other at group outing, church gatherings, etc.

4. Report on on-going activities

a. Monthly

b. Quarterly

c. Annually

Summary

Overall Mentoring Program to be evaluated and updated annually in order to take necessary measures for improvement and growth.

A Sense of Belonging