Believe in Alhambra YOUTH is a community/movement for Alhambra youth that is:
1. A safe place of refuge - Where they can learn from different generations. - Where they can build real friendships. - Where they can find support from positive role models/mentors. 2. Empowering youth to make a difference in Alhambra (opportunities to serve, etc) 3. Building bridges across diversity (ethnic, religious)
Believe is a faith-based, community-based alternative for at-risk youth focused around mentoring services. The mission of Believe is to connect Alhambra at-risk youth, ages 14-18, with positive resources found in the local Alhambra community, through mentoring relationships that prevent recidivism and address youth-initiated goals in the areas of education and employment utilizing the 40 Developmental Assets survey (http://www.search-institute.org/assets/). Believe matches young people in mentoring relationships with adults from Alhambra local churches, organizations and community-at-large who spend one-on-one time with youth.
Believe believes that without mentoring intervention, life options for these high school students are extremely limited. A crucial element of growth and achievement during these students’ developmental years is missing and interest in maximum potential, positive community involvement and a normal level of self-esteem is absent from these students’ lives.
We require our mentors to make a commitment of at least 12 months because we realize that severing a relationship with an at-risk student can be more harmful than never having had a relationship at all. We adhere to a mentoring ratio of one adult mentor to every two to three students. Each mentor commits to meet with each student weekly and commits a total of ten hours a month to this program. Mentors are thoroughly screened and must successfully pass an extensive background check.
Goals:
1. To provide trained, qualified mentors to at-risk students in Alhambra.
2. To improve academic performance among the students being mentored by at least one letter grade.
3. To increase amount of assets for students and their families.
4. To encourage and provide opportunities for students to volunteer in their community and participate in life changing experiences.
5. To provide appropriate intervention that will empower each student's parents to become more involved and effective in training their child to become a productive member of society.
6. To foster and facilitate positive relationship among students.
7. In accomplishing the six previous goals, we will bring about youth violence prevention.
Time Expectation: 10 hours a month (flexible)
Monthly: A 2 hour mandatory mentor meeting is held once a month
that includes dinner. This meeting serves to encourage you as a
mentor through helpful training and connection with other
mentors.
Weekly: You should spend a minimum of 1 hour a week connecting with each student. This could include spending time with a student, emailing or instant messaging a student.