Benefits and FAQ of Being Mentored
An Impact With Lasting Effects
The practice of mentorship is not a new concept. It has been around for hundreds of years because the wisdom learned through life experience is extremely valuable to pass along. This practice benefits the Mentee as well as also society as a whole. Here’s how everyone benefits from Mentorship.
Student
Students who have been through the YMI mentorship program experience:
- Increased self-confidence and an improved sense of self-worth
- A better understanding of accountability and social responsibility
- Improved communication skills particularly in identifying and dealing with emotions
- Academic improvement and healthier social interactions with peers
Community
The Fishers community benefits by:
- Having engaged, socially responsible individuals that are invested in the future and success of Fishers
- Reducing the number of high school dropouts and therefore creating less financial strain on the community
- More adults who know how to engage those younger than themselves in common everyday interaction. This helps younger people feel like they are valued and appreciated as members of the community
Mentor
Being a Mentor will:
- Challenge you and be just as impactful to your growth as that of the Student’s
- Be rewarded with the knowledge that you directly helped another human being in their life’s journey
- Gain an appreciation of the reality of what the next generation is faced with and give you the resources to positively guide them in their development
Mentoring is Beneficial
Here are some questions you as a parent may have about your child being mentored and a simple answer to help you better understand how beneficial mentoring is.
DO NOT DELETE
What is YMI?
YMI stands for Youth Mentoring Initiative. YMI is a non-profit organization that partners with HSE schools to provide volunteer (non paid) mentors for students.
How do I get my child signed-up?
Because our mentorships occur on school grounds during the school day, all of our mentorships must be set up through the onsite school coordinators. If you want your child to benefit from a YMI mentorship, please contact the YMI coordinator at your child’s school.
Why was my child chosen to be mentored?
YMI’s philosophy regarding mentoring is that any child benefits from having another caring adult in their life. We also believe that a student is one more step closer to becoming successful if they have a mentor. At times though a student may show signs of struggle in the classroom where just having a tutor is not enough. Sometimes life can get hard and even overwhelming. Having a mentor at this stage in life can be very beneficial. It provides your child another adult who will listen to them and provide support for them. We encourage you to talk to your child’s teacher or guidance counselor to get a better understanding of exactly why they have been recommended for mentorship.
When and where will my child be meeting with their mentor?
Your child will be meeting with their during the day in school. They will usually meet in the library or other resource area. The specific day and time will be decided when your child is matched with their mentor.
How long is a mentoring session?
Each mentoring session consists of 10-12 mentoring meetings. Each mentoring meeting lasts between 30 minutes to an hour, depending on the school program.
Who pays for the mentoring?
Youth Mentoring Initiative is a 501c3 community fueled and funded organization relying on the support and donations from the community of Fishers. Our services are not funded by or tied to the school budgets or tax dollars in any way. We have several private grants as well that allow for staffing compensation and basic overhead.
What will my child and their mentee talk about?
YMI Mentors are trained to create great conversations to helps students attain critical assets like but not limited to community service, commitment to their school, honesty, integrity, and conflict resolution. Click on “About YMI” and then “The Developmental Assets” to read more about the assets. As a mentoring relationship grows, life experiences and challenges are shared. YMI mentors are trained to provide an appropriate level of confidentiality between them and their mentee. They are also trained to immediately report anything that could hurt their mentee or someone else.
Will I get to hear or review what happens in the mentoring sessions?
Our mentorship program works on trust and honesty. It is imperative that the students feel safe and free to share their thoughts and feelings without fearing repercussions. As such, the sessions are not recorded, documented or made available to the parent. However, we can provide general updates of what was covered in the meeting and any major milestones that should be celebrated with you and your child if you would like.
What if I do not want my child or my child does not want to continue in the program?
Your child’s participation is completely voluntary. If at anytime you or your child does not want to continue, please contact your child counselor. We encourage you and your child to complete an entire mentor session (10-12 meetings) before a decision is made. Mentoring relationships take time to grow and develop. Give it as much time as you can before you or your child makes a decision to not continue.
What if i have questions or concerns once the mentoring session begins?
Contact your child’s school counselor at any time you have a question or concern.
see what others have to say
Studies show that the average young person experiences fewer than half of the 40 assets. Further investigations reveals that Fishers is maintaining the same statistics. It is our vision to cultivate a healthy future for our great town and that starts with nurturing key developmental assets in our youth.
What are the 40 Developmental Assets?
They are building blocks for raising healthy children and youth. Read all of the 40 Assets here.
Read a statement regarding Asset 19 here.
YMI’s 28 Developmental Assets
External Assets
DO NOT DELETE
Support
- Other adult relationships – Young person receives support from three or more non parent adults.
-
Caring School Climate– School provides a caring, encouraging environment.
Empowerment
- Community Values Youth –Young person perceives that adults in the community value youth.
-
Safety– Young person feels safe at home, school, and in the neighborhood.
Boundaries & Expectations
- Adult role models – Parent(s) and other adults model positive, responsible behavior.
- Positive peer influence – Young person’s best friend’s model responsible behavior.
- High Expectations – Both parent(s) and teachers encourage the young person to do well.
Constructive Use Of Time
- Creative activities – Young person spends three or more hours per week in lessons or practice in music, theater, or other arts.
- Youth programs – Young person spends three or more hours per week in sports, clubs, or organizations at school and /or in the community.
- Time at home – Young person is out with friends “with nothing special to do” two or fewer nights per week.
Internal Assets
DO NOT DELETE
Commitment To Learning
- Achievement Motivation – Young person is motivated to do well in school.
- School Engagement – Young person is actively engaged in learning.
- Homework – Young person reports doing at least one hour of homework every school day.
- Bonding to school – Young person cares about her or his school.
- Reading for Pleasure – Young person reads for pleasure three or more hours per week.
Positive Values
- Caring – Young person places high value on helping other people.
- Equality and social justice – Young person places high value on promoting equality and reducing hunger and poverty.
- Integrity – Young person acts on convictions and stands up for her or his beliefs.
- Honesty – Young person “tells the truth even when it is not easy.”
- Responsibility – Young person accepts and takes personal responsibility.
- Restraint – Young person believes it is important not to be sexually active or to use alcohol or other drugs.
- Planning and decision making – Young person knows how to plan ahead and make choices.
- Interpersonal Competence – Young person has empathy, sensitivity, and friendship skills.
- Cultural Competence – Young person has knowledge of and comfort with people of different cultural/racial/ethnic backgrounds.
- Resistance skills – Young person can resist negative peer pressure and dangerous situations.
- Peaceful conflict resolution – Young person seeks to resolve conflict nonviolently.
Positive Identity
- Personal power – Young person feels he or she has control over “things that happen to me.”
- Self-esteem – Young person reports having a high self-esteem.
- Sense of purpose – Young person reports that “my life has a purpose.”
- Positive view of personal future – Young person is optimistic about her or his personal future.