Bruce Normile Juvenile Justice Center: Mentoring Program

            A mentor is an adult who is willing to support and spend quality time with a youth in the community.  In today’s society, youth are in need of a positive role model.  The Mentoring Program carefully pairs an adult/mentor with a youth based on interests and other commonalities (“2^nd Judicial Circuit Court,” 2013).  DuBois, Portillo, Rhodes, Silverthorn, and Valentine (2011) suggest that similar programs have been more effective when participating youth have had pre-existing difficulties with behavior problems, mentors and youth are paired based on similarities, and when a mentor’s educational/occupational background fits well with the goals of the program.  By spending quality time with a youth on a regular basis, a mentor is able to help the youth to develop self-esteem, positive attitude, and socially appropriate behavior (DuBois et al., 2011).  Other benefits for youth include improved interpersonal skills, increased high school graduation rates, and increased likeliness of healthier relationships and lifestyle choices later in life.  There are also several benefits for mentors, such as increased self-esteem, a sense of accomplishment, and increased patience and improved supervisory skills (“Findyouthinfo.gov,” 2013). 

            To become a mentor, one must go through an extensive background check and a careful evaluation to determine the level of commitment they will put into the program.  The Mentoring Program stresses that mentors know that a high level of commitment is key to success with the youth.  The youth not only grow to depend on their mentors, but also enjoy and look forward to spending time with them.  The Mentoring program recruits individual volunteers and volunteers from different organizations in Adair County and the surrounding areas.  Youth that are involved in the Mentoring Program are referred in several different ways.  Most youth are referred from the Children’s Division of Juvenile Officers.  Others are referred from Mark Twain Behavioral Health, Juvenile Office, and different schools located within Adair County and the surrounding areas.  Lastly, some of the youth are referred to the Mentoring Program because they are beginning to go down the wrong path and need a positive role model that they can depend on (“2^nd Judicial Circuit Court,” 2013).     

            As previously mentioned, the process of applying to be a mentor is quite extensive.  First, one must complete an application providing medical information, proof of automobile insurance, and provide consent for a background check.  If the background check comes back clean, the mentor is selected for a personal interview.  This interview allows the mentor to express their hobbies and interest.  The youth complete a similar interview.  This allows the program to carefully match a mentor with a youth of similar interests.  This process helps the match to be more successful.  From there, the first meeting is scheduled.  It takes place with the project coordinator present to verify that the match is positive.  Parents or guardians are often present at the first meeting so they can meet the mentor, too.  From there on, it is up to the mentor and youth to schedule their meetings.  Evaluation forms are sent once a month to the mentor to allow the Mentoring Program to keep track of how often they are meeting and how the visits are going (“2^nd Judicial Circuit Court,” 2013).

            By joining the Mentoring Program, you can change a youth’s life by helping them become a successful, productive member of society.  These children need someone to depend on.  It has been proven that similar programs have been an effective way to connect with youth.  The Mentoring Program at Bruce Normile Juvenile Justice Center is a wonderful opportunity for both the mentor and the youth.

           

                                

References

DuBois, D. L., Portillo, N., Rhodes, J. E., Silverthorn N., & Valentine, J. C. (2011). How effective are mentoring programs?  A systematic assessment of the evidence. Psychological Science in the Public Interest, 12 (2), 57-91. 

Findyouthinfo.gov (2013). Benefits of mentoring for young people. Retrieved from http://www.findyouthinfo.gov/youth-topics/mentoring/benefits-mentoring-young-people.

(2013). 2nd judicial circuit court juvenile center. Retrieved from http://www.juvenilecircuit2.org/juvenile-center-history.