Abstract

Children's programs call for unique individuals who can serve as mentors. Finding these students on college campuses proved a challenge for Gina Vincent, an AmeriCorps *VISTA with the Michigan Campus Compact at Davenport University, Davenport, Michigan (2004-05). Subsequently she created a list of best practices that streamlines this process for others serving in the same capacity.

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Issue

Not every college student has what it takes to become a mentor in a program dealing with children, yet a great need exists for these services. Alternatively, some students would make great mentors, but do not know about the opportunities available to them.

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Action

• Review the goals and objectives of the mentoring program you are working for.
• Review the recruitment efforts currently utilized (list of mentors, children served, participating organizations, past activities and programs).
• Continue to build on the mentoring partnerships that have been developed and the schools and agencies that work with mentoring programs in the community.  Some agencies that traditionally work with mentoring programs are the local United Way, the local YMCA, churches, libraries, and online websites.
• Contact volunteers who have been involved in the mentoring program to assist in recruiting other students.

• Get involved with activities offered through the United Way and local schools.
• Connect with campus organizations, attend their meetings, and get involved with their activities and events on campus.
• Enlist the assistance of campus organization leaders to get the word out about mentoring opportunities.  Distribute flyers and program information on mentoring through these organizations.
• Develop a database with all campus organizations and their members.

• Send out quarterly newsletters highlighting a college mentor making an impact in the community. These newsletters can be sent via e-mail to all college students and campus organizations.
• Set up a volunteer information table in a visible area frequented by students; i.e., a cafeteria, student center, or dormitory.
• Develop and display bulletin boards to recruit student mentors throughout the campus, student center, cafeteria, dorms, and campus organizations.
• Connect college students with schools offering mentoring programs via e-mail and presentations in classrooms.

• Organize a mentor/mentee conference on campus. Select a school or community organization that area students attend.  Schedule an appointment with the school’s volunteer coordinator or designated school contact.  Establish a date for the event.
• Decide on the sessions to be offered for the conference.
• Once there is a list of volunteers for the event, schedule a meeting to review the logistics, the students that will attend the conference, and distribute the list of students each mentor/volunteer will be working with per conference session.
• Develop surveys to distribute after the conference to the students from the school and the mentor/volunteers, to receive feedback on the conference and to coordinate mentor/mentee matches from the conference.

• Continue to maintain contact with campus volunteers via e-mail and phone calls.
• Continue to follow up with mentors on their programs and progress.
• Continue to communicate with current and past mentors regarding ongoing recruitment efforts and involvement.

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Context

A VISTA Volunteer grant allowed for a VISTA member to serve for three years at Davenport University (Grand Rapids), and Gina Vincent was the first Michigan Campus Compact (MCC) AmeriCorps volunteer at the student life office. During her one-year term, she worked to expand, develop, and deepen the University’s community ties. She worked with Habitat for Humanity, DU Cares, The Community Service Banquet, Alternative Spring Break (ASB) and other community-and university-related projects. She also helped throughout the university to unify Davenport’s efforts to be more coordinated and consistent for overall projects such as the Jimmy Carter Work Build for Habitat for Humanity.

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Outcome

AmeriCorps*VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) provides full-time members to nonprofit, faith-based and other community organizations, and public agencies to create and expand programs that bring low-income individuals and communities out of poverty.

AmeriCorps*VISTA members leverage human, financial, and material resources to increase the capacity of thousands of low-income areas across the country to address challenges and improve the lives of the people in those communities.

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Related Practices

• Starting a career development tutoring/mentoring program in ten steps

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