It only takes a few hours a month to make a huge difference in the life of a child. Mentoring helps keep kids off drugs and alcohol and in school so they can fulfill their dreams. And the best part is, you’ll not only see what it does for them, you’ll feel what it does for you.

1. What is the Crawford County Mentoring Program?
   The Crawford County Mentoring Program supports the development of a one-to-one relationship between a volunteer adult role model and a student. This unique relationship provides support and encouragement, and can help a young person develop the academic, social and personal skills to foster success in their future. The CCMP is an effective way to improve student’s self-esteem, expand their vision of opportunities and apply themselves in school.
2. What is a mentor?
   The volunteer mentor will work closely with the school-based site coordinator to build a caring, supportive relationship with the mentee. Mentoring matches are encouraged to view the development of a trusting, mutually satisfying relationship as the primary goal of their time spent together. The mentor does not replace the parent or guardian, but rather supplements the work of parents, teachers, counselors and other social services and educational professionals to help the mentee develop self-esteem and life skills necessary to become a happy and productive member of society.
3. What is required to become a mentor?
   • A personal commitment to be involved with another person for an extended period of time;
   • Respect for individuals and for their abilities and their right to make their own choices in life;
   • The ability to listen and to accept different points of view;
   • The ability to empathize with another person’s struggles;
   • The ability to see solutions and opportunities as well as barriers;
   • Flexibility and openness.
4. What is the volunteer commitment?
   • Meet with the mentee for one hour per week during the school year.
     All meetings will take place at the mentee’s school during regular school hours;
   • Attend mentor orientation and training sessions before meeting with mentee;
   • Attend ongoing mentor training and support sessions;
   • Attend a mid-year mentor-mentee special event;
   • Attend the Mentoring Celebration at the end of the year;
   • Participate in program evaluations as requested;
   • Follow all safety guidelines and program policies.
5. How will I know what to do or say?
   The Crawford County Mentoring Program has contracted with the Mentoring Center of Central Ohio to help us provide training and support to our mentors. This includes initial training on the Making of a Mentor and Relationship Building and ongoing training on Mentoring Adolescents. We will also have pre-planned and pre-packaged meeting ideas for mentors to use as needed.
6. What is the difference between mentoring and tutoring?
   Mentoring focuses on building a relationship of trust and commitment with a younger, less experienced individual. The relationship is designed to enhance the young person’s attitudes, life skills and behavior. Improvement in these areas will ultimately have a positive effect on the young person’s academics. Tutoring focuses on academics and may or may not result in the development of a relationship of trust and commitment.
7. I am already involved in mentoring/tutoring in my school. How will this change?
   Initially, this program will be focused on working with students in the 6th, 7th and 8th grades, so unless this is the grade level you are currently involved with, nothing will change. The program vision of the future is to gradually develop ties with all currently operating mentoring / tutoring services in the 6 public schools so that they operate efficiently and effectively together so that any child from grade K through 12 will have access to these services.
8. Where can I volunteer?
   You can volunteer by clicking on the link above and providing your contact information or you may contact the Crawford County Mentoring Program County Coordinator, Cindy Snyder, at info@mentorcrawford.org, or you may call your local public school and ask to talk to the guidance counselor.

What makes it different from other programs?
There have been and currently are several different types of mentoring/tutoring programs going on at the six county schools. These programs vary in many ways, including the grade level they target, the requirements for becoming a mentor, the amount of training and support the mentors receive and their overall goals. The Crawford County Mentoring Program seeks to standardize and coordinate all mentoring services/programs so that every student will move seamlessly from one grade (or one school) to the next without disruption of the mentoring relationship that they have developed or with a smooth transition to a new relationship. This will be accomplished by having a single county coordinator that works with all 6 county schools and by having a county wide advisory group.

What are its goals?
The CCMP will attempt to meet the following goals during the 2009-2010 school year:

• During the 2009-2010 school year, a minimum of ten (10) students in each of the six public school districts in the county will be involved in a mentoring relationship.
• During the 2009-2010 school year, each mentor will meet with his/her mentees for 90% of the planned twenty-five week mentoring calendar year.
• During the 2009-2010 school year, a minimum of six (6) mentors in each district will be identified, trained and commit to a mentoring relationship.

How is it being funded?
The Crawford County Mentoring Program is currently being funded primarily by state and federal dollars that are received through the Tanf Grant. This money is administered by the Department of Jobs and Family Services. Additional support is being received through the Bucyrus Community Foundation.

What students qualify?
Any student may be referred to the mentoring program by a teacher, counselor or other school staff or by a parent or guardian. Referral and screening protocols have been established to focus the program on students with at-risk behaviors.

Who can be a mentor?
Any individual who has a strong desire to help students and who displays the following characteristics:

• Personal commitment to be involved with another person for an extended period of time;
• Respect for individuals and for their abilities and their right to make their own choices in life;
• Ability to listen and to accept different points of view;
• Ability to empathize with another person’s struggles;
• Ability to see solutions and opportunities as well as barriers;
• Flexibility and openness.

What training will be provided?
The CCMP Advisory Committee and Planning Group have recognized the importance of educating the Mentors and Mentees in areas such as Relationship Building, Communication Skills and Working with Adolescents and the need for ongoing monitoring and support for the Mentor/Mentee pair. To provide this needed education and training, the Crawford County Mentoring Program has contracted with the Mentoring Center of Central Ohio to help us provide training and support to our mentors. This includes initial training on the Making of a Mentor and Relationship Building and ongoing training on Mentoring Adolescents. We will also have pre-planned and pre-packaged meeting ideas for mentors to use as needed. By doing this, CCMP assures that all training and education meets the newest standards of practice available.

What is the Mentoring Center of Ohio?
The Mentoring Center of Ohio works to increase the quality and quantity of mentoring throughout Central Ohio. MCO helps kids by helping their mentors and by strengthening and supporting partner organizations such as CCMP. MCO helps mentors build skills so they will be successful in establishing a lasting relationship with their Mentee. MCO also provides training and education for Program Staff. MCO is the resource for all the tools, expertise and support to help a new program develop and grow.

CCMP Mentor Application

Thank you for your interest in becoming a volunteer mentor for the Crawford County Mentoring Program (CCMP). The goal of this school-based program is to encourage the development of a meaningful relationship between an adult role model and a child.

Above, you will find a link to the mentor application. The application may be printed off, completed and mailed to the address provided. You will notice that the application includes a few questions regarding your interests and skills. These, along with a brief interview, will be used to help match you with a mentee. All information you provide will be kept confidential and will only be used in connection with your participation in the Crawford County Mentoring Program.

Once you have returned your application, it will be reviewed and you will be contacted with further information to assist you in completing the screening and matching process. Please be aware that at any point in the application process your volunteer services may be declined for any reason or no reason. This is not necessarily a reflection on your personal qualifications but may simply be the inability to make a suitable match with a student in your school district at this time.

If accepted as a mentor for the Crawford County Mentoring Program, you will be expected to adhere to all CCMP safety and program guidelines and policies. You will also be expected to commit to maintaining your mentor/mentee relationship for a minimum of one complete school year.

Thank you again for your interest in working with area youth as a part of the Crawford County Mentoring Program. I look forward to working with you to build a better future for the youth of Crawford County. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.


Program Description:
The Crawford County Mentoring Program (CCMP) is a one-to-one relationship between a volunteer adult role model and a student. This unique relationship provides support and encouragement, and can help a young person develop the academic, social and personal skills to foster success in their future. The CCMP is an effective way to improve student’s self-esteem, expand their vision of opportunities and apply themselves in school.

Position Description:
The volunteer mentor will work closely with the school-based site coordinator to build a caring, supportive relationship with the mentee. Mentoring matches are encouraged to view the development of a trusting, mutually satisfying relationship as the primary goal of their time spent together. The mentor does not replace the parent or guardian, but rather supplements the work of parents, teachers, counselors and other social services and educational professionals to help the mentee develop self-esteem and life skills necessary to become a happy and productive member of society.

Qualifications:

• Personal commitment to be involved with another person for an extended period of time;
• Respect for individuals and for their abilities and their right to make their own choices in life;
• Ability to listen and to accept different points of view;
• Ability to empathize with another person’s struggles;
• Ability to see solutions and opportunities as well as barriers;
• Flexibility and openness.

Responsibilities/Commitment:

• Meet with the mentee for one hour per week during the school year. All meetings will take place at the mentee’s school during regular school hours;
• Attend mentor orientation and training sessions before meeting with mentee;
• Attend ongoing mentor training and support sessions;
• Attend a mid-year mentor-mentee special event;
• Attend the Mentoring Celebration at the end of the year;
• Participate in program evaluations as requested;
• Follow all safety guidelines and program policies.

This is an effort to bring back the mentoring program that existed at one time in Crawford County. However, that program was not comprehensive. There were “random acts of excellence” in some schools/districts. This effort will involve all the school districts in Crawford County.

Mentoring is designed to provide students opportunity to mature individually in the following “non-academic” aspects of “growing” up in eight different areas of developmental growth toward a healthy and successful life:

• offering additional support structures from a responsible external adult role model;
• providing them examples of empowerment regarding their role in the home, the school and the community;
• helping them set and understand boundaries and expectations in all situations in their life;
• providing them opportunity to create constructive ways to utilize their time;
• helping them understand the importance and commitment needed to learning and skill development for later life;
• creating positive values;
• placing them in social environments to develop appropriate competencies; and
• helping them identify a positive self identity.

As young people grow in these asset areas research tells us that they are

• less likely to engage in risky behaviors;
• increasing positive behavior choice;
• creating the foundations essential to success
• engaging in opportunities, skills, relationships, values, and self-perceptions that all young people need in their lives.
• developing strength in their internal and external character.

Mentoring is one strategy to advance the overall SPARC goal to maximize/increase P-16 educational attainment for all individuals at all levels of ability that prepare them to be lifelong learners and for success in those fields of learning that are most critical to the future of our economy/community.

Final P-16 Report & Appendices (March 1, 2008)