Grizzlies Foundation TEAM UP Mentoring Initiative: Frequently Asked Questions
Joe Murphy/NBAE/Getty Images
What are the different types of mentoring?
What are the different goals of mentoring?
Where does mentoring take place?
Why does mentoring require several months’ to at least one year’s commitment?
What is the Grizzlies Foundation doing to support mentoring in Memphis?
MENTOR 20 Ticket Program presented by Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Systems
How can I learn more and become involved?
Answers
What is a mentor?
A mentor is a caring adult friend who devotes time to a young person. Mentors can fill any number of different roles. Yet all mentors have one thing in common: they care about helping young people achieve their potential and discover their strengths.
Mentors understand they are not meant to replace the role of a parent, guardian or teacher. A mentor is not a disciplinarian or decision maker for a child. Instead, a mentor echoes the positive values and cultural heritage parents and guardians are teaching. A mentor is part of a team of caring adults.
A mentor's main purpose is to help a young person define and achieve their own goals. And those goals will vary, depending on the young person's age. Most youth mentoring involves young people 10 to 18 years of age. Since the expectations of each child will vary, it is the mentor's job to encourage the development of a flexible relationship that responds to the mentor's skills and interests and the young person's needs.
By sharing fun activities and exposing a youth to new experiences, a mentor encourages positive choices, promotes high self-esteem, supports academic achievement and introduces the child to new ideas.
What are the different types of mentoring?
One-on-one mentoring: Traditional mentoring consisting of one adult to one young person. Typically, meetings should occur regularly at least four hours per month for at least one year.
Group mentoring: One adult commits to meet regularly with up to four young people in an interactive session which usually encourages personal sharing. Activities may be determined by the sponsoring program or be left up to the group mentor.
Team mentoring: Several adults working with small groups of young people, in which the adult to youth ratio is not greater than 1:4.
Peer mentoring: Caring youth mentoring other, typically younger individuals. Usually, mentoring activities are education-based and occur frequently over the course of a semester or school year.
E-mentoring: Mentoring via e-mail and the Internet at least once a week for a period of six months to a year. Face-to-face meetings may occur as well. The mentor often serves as an advisor for school and/or career-related matters.
What are the different goals of mentoring?
Personal growth and development: Mentor and mentee connect through activities of mutual interest such as visits to cultural sites, trips to movies or shows, sports or other activities.
Education: Mentor and mentee work on school-related activities ranging from homework, literacy-building, SAT preparation and college and financial aid applications or alternatives to college. Usually occurring at the site of the host organization, these programs tend to follow the school year.
Civics: Community-service-oriented activities aimed at developing a sense of responsibility for one’s community as well as compassion and pride.
Recreation (sport or other): Participation in groups and teams creates an atmosphere for learning social skills such as cooperation, communication, and leadership.
Career development: Mentors and mentees research and explore different career paths and professions. Gaining experience and networking are important aspects of this method.
Spiritual growth and development: Mentor and mentee may discuss the significance of faith in their lives, attend religious services, etc. Faith may also be a component of another activity such as a civic or recreation program.
Where can mentoring take place?
Mentoring can take place in a wide array of settings, such as a workplace, a school, a faith-based organization, a juvenile corrections facility, some other community setting and in the "virtual community," where e-mentoring takes place.
Community-based: Programs usually have mentors pick up youth at their homes or schools or some other location and then do some activity that mentor and youth choose together. Example: Mentor picks up youth at home and they go to the library.
Site-based: Program managed by an organization with meetings of mentors and youth taking place at their facilities or a partner facility like a church or community center. All activities take place under some level of supervision by program management.
School-based: Takes place during school hours at school sites. All activities are supervised by program personnel. Youth and mentors do not meet off-site unless it's part of a group activity at another location but still supervised by program leaders.
Why does mentoring require several months’ to at least one year’s commitment?
Because relationships and a sense of bonding occur over time, the duration and consistency of a mentoring relationship is very important. At a minimum, mentors and mentees should meet regularly at least four hours per month for at least a year. There are exceptions, such as school-based mentoring, which usually coincides with the school year, and other types of special mentoring initiatives. In such special circumstances, mentees should know from the outset how long the mentoring relationship will last so they can adjust their expectations accordingly.
References
Jean E. Rhodes, Ph.D., Stand by Me: The Risks and Rewards of Mentoring Today's Youth. (Cambridge, Massachusetts: Harvard University Press, 2002.)
How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program using the Elements of Effective Practice™. MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, 2005. http://www.mentoring.org/program_staff/eeptoolkit/index.php, accessed 11/7/05.
What is the Grizzlies Foundation doing to support mentoring in Memphis?
The Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation is proud to be an active partner in the effort to promote mentoring and recruit mentors for Memphis youth.
Team Up Lunch: In August, the Grizzlies Foundation hosts the Team Up Mentoring Lunch, an open-house style "expo" to connect interested adults to many high-quality youth mentoring opportunities. Grizzlies top personnel, free lunch, and drawings for prizes attract a large audience and attract much-needed mentors to partner programs.
Team Up Awards: Beginning in January 2008, the Grizzlies Foundation will award four Team Up Awards at an annual recognition reception. Businesses, non-profit agencies and individuals will be recognized for their leadership, dedication, and involvement in youth mentoring. Stay tuned for more details.
Memphis Mentoring Partnership: Since fall of 2004, the Grizzlies Foundation has been a member of the Memphis Mentoring Partnership (MMP), a collaboration of mentoring program providers and other community leadership coordinated by Volunteer Memphis and dedicated to expanding youth mentoring opportunities in Memphis. Visit www.memphismentors.org for more information!
Initiating Mentoring Programs: In October 2004, the Memphis Grizzlies presented a $1 Million grant to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis. The Clubs have implemented mentoring programs in several clubs and are actively recruiting mentors so they may expand the program to all five clubs. Go to www.bgcm.org/volunteer.htm for more details!
Speakers Program: Throughout the year, Grizzlies Foundation board members and staff are available to speak corporate, civic and community groups about mentoring and how to support the mentoring movement. If interested in hosting a program, email jkoltnow@grizzlies.com.
National Mentoring Month: Each January, the Memphis Grizzlies Charitable Foundation and the Memphis Mentoring Partnership recognize National Mentoring Month, by promoting mentoring throughout the month. This season, this will include hosting Memphis Grizzlies Mentoring Night. Local agencies that host mentoring programs set up booths in the concourse, and fans have the opportunity to learn more about serving as volunteer mentors.
Partnerships: Currently, Foundation partners including Youth Villages, MIFA, Urban Youth Initiative, Memphis Athletic Ministries and Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis host mentoring at sites throughout Memphis. Learn more...
MENTOR 20: Johnson & Johnson Healthcare Systems has sponsored tickets that are available to mentoring programs in the Mid-South area. This opportunity offers mentors and mentees to share a fun experience together, and gives agencies the resources to coordinate a group outing. Email jkoltnow@grizzlies.com if you’re interested in participating in this program.
Throughout the 2007-2008 season, the Grizzlies Foundation will host training workshops, provide web resources, and host special events in order to promote mentoring.
How can I learn more or become involved with mentoring?
Volunteer Memphis/ Memphis Mentoring Partnership - www.memphismentors.org
National Mentoring Partnership - www.mentoring.org
“Many people recognize the role coaches, band directors, teachers, church leaders, and other adults played in our lives when we were kids. These people motivated and challenged us, and they instilled values that stay with us today. These people were our mentors; they were our trusted friends and guides.
“Many youths today do not have the opportunity to build relationships like these with adults. By volunteering with one child one hour a week, adults become role models to these youth and provide them with needed guidance, inspiration, and care.”
Jenny Turner Koltnow, Executive Director, Grizzlies Foundation
Where Do I Sign Up?
The Memphis Grizzlies are proud to partner with numerous local organizations who offer youth mentoring programs. While each program is unique in its approach, all share the common goal of connecting responsible, trusting adults with youth and creating mutually beneficial relationships and experiences for the mentors and mentees.
The Grizzlies encourage our fans to make a difference in the life a child: be a mentor.
Here you will find the information you need to taking that first step… and making that change possible:
Simply fill out our mentoring survey and we'll contact you with program information. Plus, we'll help you find a good mentoring match in Memphis to fit your availability and interests.
Grizzlies Mentoring Partners
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis GrizzliesMemphis Athletic Ministries
Youth Villages & LIFT
Urban Youth Initiative
Metropolitan Inter-Faith Association (MIFA)
STREETS Ministries
Memphis City Schools CONNECT program Exchange Club Family Center
Families of Incarcerated Individuals-Project Aware Mentoring Program
