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Community Intervention Program

Introduction: The Community intervention is a mentoring program in which we invite the adults of the Johnstown community to make a difference in the life of a child in our community. Everybody has a skill or an interest to share with a young person, and we would like to encourage you to share your skills and interests. Below are some links that you can use to find out more information and even sign up to make a difference in a young person’s life.

We believe that a successful mentoring program can change our community’s future by better preparing our young people to be successful.

Q & A:

Q: What is mentoring?
A: According to mentoring.org, mentoring is a “structured and trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring individuals who offer guidance, support and encouragement aimed at developing the competence and character of the mentee.” Through studies done by the Big Brothers/Big Sisters, we know that mentoring works. In fact, research by that organization has shown that, after 18 months of mentoring, young people were:

· 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs

· 27% less likely to begin using alcohol

· 52% less likely to skip school

· 37% less likely to skip a class

· 33% less likely to hit someone

· 70% of minority boys and girls were less likely than their peers to initiate drug use. More confident of their performance in school work

· Better at getting along with their families

Q: Who can be a mentor?
A: Anyone can be a mentor! Of course, all mentors are screened to assure that the mentee will always be in a safe environment. We require all mentors to have background checks and to participate in a few short training sessions.

Q: What kind of mentoring can I do?
A: There are lots of kinds of mentoring! What we will do is determine what kind is best for the mentor and the young person both. Mentoring can be academic, faith based, for career, socialization, or to promote healthy behaviors. There are also different kinds of grouping: one on one, group (one mentor with up to four young people), team (several mentors with several young people- no more than four young people to each mentor), or e-mentoring

Q: Does it cost anything to be a mentor?
A: If you would like to sign up to be a mentor, there is not fee; however, all mentors must have their clearances. There is a cost of $60.00 to get all three. If you are incapable of paying the $60, don’t let it change your mind about becoming a mentor. For certain individuals, we can help with the cost.

Q: What kind of young people will I be mentoring?
A: The young people that will be participating in our program will all be from the Johnstown area. Currently, we are selecting students from the Ferndale Area, Conemaugh Valley, and Greater Johnstown School Districts. The students will range from eight to eighteen years of age and will be from a variety of different backgrounds. The young person that you will be matched with will depend on several factors: any preferences that you may have (age, gender, race, etc.), preferences of the mentee, and application and interview responses of both parties. We will use this information to match you with a young person with interests and personality similar to yours. Also, just to be clear: if you would like to mentor young people in local communities other than the ones mentioned above, we are happy to work with you.

Q: How much of my time will mentoring take?
A: Well, that all depends on you and your mentee. For our program we require that you meet with the young person you are matched with for at least two hours per week. Also, because the purpose of mentoring is to create a bond between the two parties, we ask for a time commitment of at least a year. If you and your mentee would like to arrange additional time to spend together, that’s great!

Q: How do I know that mentoring is safe?
A: We go to extensive measures to make sure that the experience is positive and safe for both parties involved. The mentors are all required to have background checks done, and they go through a screening and interview process. Also there are strict guidelines about mentor-mentee contact through the means of electronic mail or telephone.

Q: How do I become a mentor?
A: If you think that you would like to become a mentor, you can check out some of the links that we have provided to become more informed about the decision. To begin the process with us, you can print out a copy of the mentor application and mail it to: Community Foundation for the Alleghenies, 116 Market St., Suite 4, Johnstown, PA 15901, or send it through electronic mail to intervention@cfalleghenies.org, or you can call for more information at 536-7741. Once that process has been completed, you will be notified about how to get certified as a mentor.

Would you like to be added to our e-mail list? We will let you know how things are going. intervention@cfalleghenies.org. Or call us at the Foundation, 536-7741.

Links:

Thinking about becoming a mentor? Visit www.mentoring.org/mentors.

Another great site about mentoring is the Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania. This is a very well respected mentoring program on a nation level, and its leadership has been a mentor to our efforts. Its address is www.mentoringpittsburgh.org.

You may have read or heard about the chess programs we are starting to provide a connection between mentors and young people. Chess is a great connector, and it helps people of all ages to keep their minds sharp. Our mentor for chess is at www.besomeone.org.

Do you know someone who would benefit from being mentored, or you would like to learn more about becoming a mentor? Please pass along this website or our email, intervention@cfalleghenies.org.

Mentor Reference Check

Mentor Application

Mentee Application

Gauging the Effectiveness of Youth Mentoring