Saturday, January 26, 2008

Mentoring and Volunteerism as a Drop Out Prevention Strategy



The State of Illinois' Illinois WorkNet! web site added a new message, encouraging business leaders to think of ways their workplace volunteer and civic engagement strategies can incorporate tutoring/mentoring as part of the company or industry workforce development strategy. View the page here.

Many companies support volunteerism. Some even encourage paid time off. Many are involved in tutoring/mentoring. Some provide millions of dollars to fund charter schools. Is this strategic?

In internet forums, and in sessions of the May and November leadership conferences, we encourage business leaders to host discussions around this topic. Share what you're already doing to prepare kids for careers, and to include your volunteerism and philanthropy in support of this strategy. Other companies can learn from you and you can learn from them.

1 comment:

Arlan Berglas said...

The Pass It On (PIO) Student Mentoring Program is about empowering kids and helping each and every one of them realize that they can make a positive difference in others lives. Children in the classroom will also have an opportunity to take part in a global competition involving creating a world logo and/or flag (We, The World Contests). A We, The World Ambassador for Peace in each classroom will implement this program.

All students interested in participating in a PIO Student Mentoring Program are asked by the WTW Ambassador to submit a one-page paper detailing how they may be of value to a younger child or classmate. Could it be with their homework? Could it be with a certain sport? Conflict resolution? Musical instrument? At the same time, students will write a paragraph stating in which area they would like to be mentored by an older child.

This WTW World Peace Ambassador is a volunteer and will be responsible for collecting the entries for the world flag/logo contest, and submitting them for the competition. Additionally, the WTW Ambassador in each classroom may ask the kids in the class to write a program that will have to do with making the classroom a better place. Under certain circumstances, a student may be able to implement their program once it is approved by by a WTW Ambassador (volunteeer). This Ambassador is an adult volunteer that will be trained, fingerprinted and TB tested prior to starting.

The Ambassador will help form multiple PIO student mentoring programs for those interested in participating. Mentors and Mentees are then matched up with students and corporate sponsors. Many students will participate as mentors as well as mentees. At each session the mentors and the mentees will play the board game The Pass It On Mentoring Connection. Each mentor/mentee session will help increase each other's self esteem. Game

We will eventually acquire corporate sponsors for these programs, to help raise funds for our schools who help implement these mentoring programs. The corporate sponsors receive advertising from multiple organizations. An example would be Steve’s Automotive is helping the XYZ Middle School Pass It On.

It is anticipated that the Pass It On Student Mentoring Program will eventually be in 83,000 schools nationwide. Kids can make a difference! Next, our kids in America will be mentoring the kids in the third world countries on their $100 laptops! One Laptop Per Child.

Corporate sponsors would be required to pay $1,000 to sponsor a classroom, or $5,000 to sponsor a school.

For more information go to www.ipassiton.org or contact aunitedworld@gmail.com