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Mentoring: A Key Resource for Promoting Positive Youth Development

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What are your hopes for the children in your life?

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Positive Youth Development (PYD)

Two key ideas:1. All young people possess

strengths

2. PYD may be promoted when youth strengths are aligned with the “developmental assets” present in their ecologies

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Four Ecological Assets that Promote PYD

1. The individuals in young people’s lives

2. The institutions present in their community

3. Opportunities for youth and adults to work together in valued community activities; and

4. Access to these people and institutions

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Most Important Asset: Mentors

• Assets can be identified in any setting within which youth live and develop—families, schools, and communities.

• However, in all settings, the presence of mentors is the most important asset for PYD that exists in communities

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Mentoring & YD Programs

• Mentoring that occurs within the context of youth development (YD) programs may be particularly beneficial in the promotion of PYD

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“Big 3” Features of YD Programs

1. Sustained, positive adult-youth relations;

2. Youth life-skill building activities; and

3. Youth participation and leadership of valued community activities.

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EffectiveCommunity-

BasedYouth

DevelopmentPrograms

PYD YouthContributions

SustainedYouth-AdultPartnerships

Youth Leadership

Skill-BuildingActivities

Competence Connection

Confidence

Character

Caring

Figure 1

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The “Five Cs”

• Competence

• Confidence

• Connection

• Character

• Caring

• And sometimes… Contribution

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Implications For Mentors

• Interactions with mentees should reflect the “Big 3”

• Assure youth gain access to four key ecological assets in their communities

• Help to develop each of the Cs of PYD

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Dialogue

How can you incorporate positive youth development into your relationship?

What are some examples of behaviors that demonstrate any of the 5 C’s?

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Conclusions

• Effective mentoring is an important developmental asset

• You can facilitate the development of the several key indicators of positive youth development

• Within “Big 3” features of YD programs, you have many actions to take to foster positive youth development

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Search Institute

• Provides leadership, information, and resources to promote positive healthy development of youth.

• The 40 Developmental Assets for Youth www.search-institute.org/assets/

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Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory - National Mentoring CenterNational organization that provides training

and technical assistance to youth mentoring programs. – A Mentor’s Guide to Youth Development

Putting Youth Development Principles to Work in Mentoring Programs

– Understanding the Youth Development Model