Productive lifestyles and productive careers are the two goals of the new mentoring program presented by Goodwill Industries of Central Illinois. GoodGuides™ is for volunteers to mentor at-risk youth in the area.
The program targets youth, ages 12 through17, who are at risk for any reason. The youth considered at risk can have a range of difficulties from an unhealthy home situation, abuse and homelessness to a high absence rate from school, a risk or past of juvenile delinquency, pregnancy and more.
“We take referrals from anywhere, and teens who have an interest would be ideal,” said Elizabeth McCombs, the program manager.
The goal of GoodGuides™ is to use a mentoring relationship to promote school completion, build career plans and skills and educate on possible career choices. Participant events and meetings with mentors will accentuate the program as well.
“We will have one quarterly event. That event can be a barbeque, attending Peoria Chief or Bradley Braves sporting events, things like that. Every four to six weeks, our youth and mentors will get together and learn more about vocational possibilities. Realistically, this might be a speaker, but eventually we would like to build, with help from the community, to include business tours and more,” McCombs said.
The most significant aspect to the program for the youth participants is the guaranteed mentor relationship. Based on what the youth wants, there arethree mentoring options: group mentoring or one-on-one mentoring with an adult volunteer or a peer-to-peer mentoring program.
Peer-to-peer mentoring has a teen volunteer mentor, between the ages 16 through18, paired with a younger participant between the ages 12 through 14.
“The peer-to-peer program allows younger participants to have guidance with self-esteem and overcome challenges that they may face in school,” McCombs said.
Since the mentors are the vital piece of the program, Goodwill is looking for volunteers. While there is an extensive process to becoming a mentor, including a yearlong commitment, there will also be group support for participating mentors.
“Support groups allow mentors to touch base with one another and bounce questions and ideas off each other,” said McCombs.
“Not many people know that Goodwill’s mission is “to improve the economic self-sufficiency of individuals and families through the dignity and power of work.” This program is cool because is gives the power of work in the minds of youth,” McCombs said.
If anyone is interested in becoming a mentor or has youth to refer to the program, contact McCombs at 682-1113.
East Peoria, Ill. —
