April 2024 Mentoring News

Training for Programs

Introduction to TMP Services & Elements of Effective Practice

Wednesday, April 17, 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.

This 1-hour informational session is intended to introduce mentoring programs to the technical assistance, training, and networking services provided by The Mentoring Partnership. The foundation of our services is based on the six Elements of Effective Practice, a collection of research-informed practices for youth mentoring programs, and you will learn those elements as part of this session. Attending this training is also the first step in the Quality Coaching process. Sessions are currently being done virtually. You must be registered to attend. Registration will close 2 days before the scheduled session. Click here to register!

 

Training for Mentors and Mentees

Virtual Mentoring 101 Training

Saturday, April 13, 9:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Wednesday, April 24, 6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

This interactive training program provides participants with an introduction to mentoring and what to expect as a mentor. Topics like the "mentoring lifecycle," communication skills, establishing boundaries, and appreciating diversity will make it easier for mentors to navigate relationships with their mentees. This training is appropriate to introduce new volunteers to the field of mentoring and to refresh current mentors on best practices. You must be registered to attend. Registration will close once the training is full or 2 days before the scheduled session. Click here to register!

 

Virtual Trauma-Informed Mentoring Training

Tuesday, April 23, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

The Mentoring Partnership recognizes that we are all experiencing trauma in different ways, and we want to help mentors be equipped with the tools they need to both understand trauma and help young people cope with it. This 1.5-hour training will discuss the impact of the development of a young person's brain and then share how to apply these understandings to strengthen youth resiliency via the mentoring relationship. You must be registered to attend. Registration will close once the training is full or 2 days before the scheduled session. Click here to register!

 

Program Development

Let us support your work though NO-COST technical assistance! 

You may be eligible to receive no-cost technical assistance to help support your mentoring efforts. This support may include strengthening your program according to research-based youth mentoring best practices, finessing your mentee and mentor recruitment strategy for the upcoming year, developing virtual or in-person trainings for your volunteers, and creating a logic model or evaluation plan. If you would like no-cost support for your mentoring program, don’t delay – contact Ashley Wineland (awineland@mentoringpittsburgh.org) for more information and to apply! 

 

April 2024 LENS Meeting: Financial Aid Literacy 

Wednesday, April 17, 9:30 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.

Due to recent legislation, FAFSA Simplification has led to a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award student aid. Please join Amy Sawdey, PHEAA's Higher Education Access Partner, as she shares more about these recent changes and how to guide students through the application process. The workshop will give a general understanding of the financial aid process and examine the available financial aid programs that make higher education more affordable for families. The state programs we will examine include the PA Targeted Industry Program, PA Fostering Independence Tuition Waiver Program, PA Partnerships for Access to Higher Education Program, and the PA State Work-Study Program. You must be registered to attend. Registration will close once the training is full or 2 days before the scheduled session. Click here to register!

 

Community News

Woman's History Month Recap 

In honor of Women's History Month, TMP uses March as a time to lift up the voices and victories of women, telling stories of the leaders and visionaries who made history and the change-makers of today. To celebrate, TMP shared social spotlights of influential women and shared resources from MENTOR national to help amplify Women's History Month. To view our social spotlights and find more ways to celebrate women all year long, check out our Women's History Month webpage. 

 

Join the TMP Team! 

TMP is currently looking to fill two full-time positions; a Director of Training and Program Development and an Education Coordinator!

 

The Director of Training and Program Development will work with mentoring programs, youth program leaders, school administrators, and volunteers to ensure that high-quality mentoring is available and provided to youth in Western PA. Key focus areas for this position are program development and training for staff and volunteers, and the ability to deliver services through new and existing programs. 

 

The Education Coordinator will cultivate meaningful relationships with school administrators, mentoring programs and others to ensure that high-quality connections are built and maintained between young people and caring adults in schools throughout Western PA.

 

Click here to learn more and apply!

 

Call for Summer Instructors  

Youth Enrichment Services, Inc. (YES) is seeking instructors for YES' Summer Programming. As an instructor, you'll play an integral part in helping to actualize YES' ETHOS of "every student matters and there are no throw away children". YES' Summer Programming provides students 14 and older with employment opportunities and experience. Instructors develop and deliver engaging learning experiences that challenge youth to explore topics of interest in ways that can open doors of opportunities. To learn more about becoming an instructor, reach out to Dr. Sinex at dsinex@yespgh.org.