Archive for the ‘Youth Mentorship’ Category

First off:  a big THANKS to everyone who has signed up to mentor a young writer.  We’ve had a healthy response to our appeal, and have a terrific roster of adults willing to join the program.

So, what’s the problem?  Well, kind of an embarrassment of riches.  We’ve had such an enthusiastic response from the kids so far that we will DEFINITELY exceed the capacity of the mentor roster.  WE NEED MORE MENTORS!

I can’t overestimate how valuable this one, simple gift — the gift of your attention, for a few hours a month — can be to a child.

What’s this program, again?  The purpose of the Young Writers’ Mentorship Program is to encourage kids, 7^th through 12^th grade, to explore writing in a fun and supported way.  Most mentors meet with their student for an hour at a time, once a week or (more likely) once every two weeks, at a public place like the library or a cafe.  We provide some suggestions for writing exercises to get you started, and resources to find more.  Some mentor-student pairs follow the format of meeting, chatting for a bit (catching up), then doing a few writing exercises, reading the responses to each other, chatting a bit more.  In other cases the kids might be more self-directed, and have a project they want to work on.  The trick is to gently guide while following the kid’s lead.  There’s no homework, and the emphasis is on FUN, not correction or precision — although, if a child asks for help in that department, of course that’s something you can offer.

Mostly, the program is about this:  kids like stories (poetry, sci fi, you name it), and are curious about writing.  Adults provide a safe, supportive environment to explore that field, and at the same time show an interest in the child’s overall well being. That’s just a fancy way of saying that you might become friends.

I should mention that mentors have program support — we offer workshops you can attend with your student (or not) throughout the program, we have a big festive initial get-together where all the pairs meet (and parents are invited, too), and we’re available for help should you run into questions.

The program starts mid-February and runs through the end of April.  Most mentors meet with their kids between six and ten times, total.

We need YOU, and we need your help getting the word out.  Please mention the program to any other writers — professional or recreational — whom you know.  We’ve found the best way to recruit new people into the program is through word of mouth.

And if you’d like to sign up, please email us, somos@somostaos.org

This is a placeholder post awaiting posts and articles submitted by and about our Youth Mentorship participants.