Baxter County T.I.M.E. Mentoring Program

1. Baxter County T.I.M.E.Mentoring Program Through Interest Mentees Excel

2. Community Initiative of Arkansas2012

3. Part One Foundation: Laying the Programmatics

4. How do I start a mentoring program?http://www.mentoring.org/ • In order to gain support for your program a need has to be established. Single parent homes? High drop out rate? High crime/drug use? Teenage Pregnancies?

5. Identifying a need in the community should include a needs assessment survey • http://extension.usu.edu/files/uploads/surveyguide.pdf • http://www.arkansas.pridesurveys.com/ • http://www.cdc.gov/ • Create your own…the more specific the source the more accurate the data.

6. Part Two Philosophy and Theory

7. Identify your vision/mission and create a mission statement • Read it over and readjust your focus as necessary • A mission statement is

8. MISSION STATEMENT: Believing that every child should be given the opportunity to realize their full potential, the TIME Mentoring program has the mission of providing a positive mentoring relationship for any child within Baxter or Marion County that needs extra support. Through trained community volunteers, the child will be provided friendship, guidance, and encouraged to strive for positive attitudes toward themselves and others as well as learn to practice constructive behavior.

9. Identify your support base • Support base are people who are willing to participate in your vision (stakeholders) • They are willing to “buy in” to what you are trying to accomplish. • You have a vision and you try to “sell” the vision to others. • Some may be hard to convince while others particularly, peers and organizations you’re involved with, already share similar aspirations

10. OUR GOAL: To establish a mentoring program that will facilitate relationships between positive, caring adults and youth who demonstrate the potential for behavior that would not allow them to fulfill their full potential.

11. OUR OBJECTIVE: Our objective is to recruit, screen, and train 250 community volunteers willing to commit a minimum of one hour each week to establish individual, caring relationships with children who may benefit from the program. The TIME Mentoring Program will focus on improving the lives of children in our community by providing mentors to listen, talk, and guide them in identifying problems, setting goals, and encourage them toward a constructive and productive lifestyle.

12. MENTORING: What is it? The word mentoring comes from the Greek word meaning enduring and is defined as a sustained relationship between a youth and an adult. Through on-going involvement, the adult offers friendship, support, and guidance as the youth goes through a difficult period, faces new challenges, or works to correct specific problems. In particular, where parents are either unavailable or unable to provide guidance for their children, mentors can play a critical role.

13. MENTORING: Why is mentoring important in our community? Data clearly shows many youths have a desperate need for a positive role model. The most compelling data describes changes to the American family structure: the number of single-parent homes has radically increased, as have two-parent working families. Mentoring has proven to be effective with youth in providing general guidance, discouraging the use of illegal drugs and firearms, reducing youth involvement in violence and gang related activities, and decreasing the school drop out rate. Mentoring relationships have proven to INCREASE youth participation in school and community service. The call for increased mentoring has been heard across the nation, from President Clinton’s America’s Promise Campaign promoted by General Colin Powell to programs designed to mentor families as they transition from welfare to self-sufficiency. The need for mentoring programs for youth remains in all communities

14. MENTOR/MENTEE MATCHING The following will be considered when facilitating matches: • Availability • A mentor with extra time and/or a flexible schedule will be matched with a mentee who needs or asks for additional attention. • Gender • Mentee's will be matched with a mentor of the same sex. • Life Experience • If applicable, the youth may be matched with an adult that has experience with the circumstances the youth is having difficulty with. • Specific Skills and /or Interests • A youth interested in learning to play the guitar may be matched with someone that plays guitar. • Temperament • An adult with a calm manner is preferred for a youth that may be somewhat volatile and emotional.

15. CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY: • The Confidentiality Policy on the following page is to be read and signed by the parent/guardian of the mentee and their assigned mentor on or before the time of matching. • ACCESS TO CONFIDENTIAL RECORDS: • In order for TIME Mentoring Program, a division of Baxter County Juvenile Services to provide responsible and professional service to it's clients, it is necessary for mentees, parent/guardian of mentees, and mentors to divulge extensive personal information about themselves and their families. TIME Mentoring Program hereafter known as TMP respects the confidentiality of client and volunteer records and shares information about clients and volunteers only with TMP/Baxter Co. Juvenile Services staff, the assigned probation officer or that officer's supervisor, and/or the Court and with assigned mentors, when deemed necessary. The right to confidentiality applies not only to written records, but also to video, film, and the use of the names of juvenile clients, parent/guardians, and volunteers in agency publications. All records are considered to be the property of TMP/Baxter Co. Juvenile Services and not the staff, clients or their families, or volunteers.

16. LIMITS OF CONFIDENTIALITY: 1. Information will be released to other individuals or organizations only upon presentation of an authorized "consent to release information" form, appropriately signed by the mentee’s parent/guardian when relating to the mentee's file, or signed by the mentor when relating to the mentor's file. 2. Identifying information, regarding mentees, their families, and mentors may be used in TMP publications or promotional materials if the parent/guardian, or mentor has given written permission. 3. For the purpose of program evaluation or audit certain outside agencies, such as the funding source, may have access to mentee/family, and mentor records. These agencies will be required to respect the TMP policy on confidentiality. 4.. Information shall only be provided to law enforcement officials and courts other than the l4th Judicial District Juvenile Division, pursuant to a valid and enforceable subpoena. Information for clients shall be shared upon appropriate request from a jurist, probation officer or probation officer supervisor of the14th Judicial District Juvenile Court. 5. Information shall be provided to TMP's legal counsel in the event of litigation or potential litigation involving TMP. Such information is considered privileged information and it's confidentiality is protected by law. 6. Arkansas State law mandates that suspected child abuse be reported to the Child Abuse Hotline and a local law enforcement agency. All TMP/Baxter Co. Juvenile Services staff and mentors are responsible for complying with mandated procedures. 7. If a TMP staff person or mentor receives information indicating that the mentee, parent/guardian, or a mentor maybe dangerous to himself/herself or to others, necessary steps may be taken to protect the appropriate party. This may include a medical referral, a report to the local law enforcement authorities, and/or a report to the court.

17. TOUCHING POLICY: • Some child development authorities are very concerned that our society has become so afraid of providing physical nurturing to children that the child's emotional growth will be adversely affected. TIME mentors, however, find themselves in the unique position of being able to provide appropriate and wholesome affection. The reality is that being an effective mentor makes it almost impossible to avoid some physical contact. • Some younger mentees literally demand physical affection and may cling to their mentor. TIME mentors can use these opportunities to teach their mentee that there are social boundaries for expressions of physical affection. TIME mentors in these situations can be role models to help their mentee learn how to set boundaries for themselves. • The TIME mentoring program will use the following guidelines relating to touching a mentee: • *Touching should be in response to the need of the mentee and not the need of the mentor. • *Touching should be with the mentee's permission - resistance from the mentee should be respected. • *Touching must avoid breasts, buttocks, and groin. • *Touching should be open and not secretive. • *There is never a reason for kissing. • *If you hug the mentee it should be from the side not the front • *Touching or other physical contact should be governed by the age and developmental stage of the mentee. For example, sitting in an adult's lap may be appropriate for a three-year-old but less so for an eight-year-old, unless the adult is the child's parent.

18. POLICY FOR REPORTING ABUSE: Arkansas State law mandates that suspected child abuse be reported to the County or State Law Enforcement Agency’s. All TIME staff and mentors are responsible for complying with these mandated procedures. If you suspect someone of abuse, or they need help dealing with a child or children, please contact one of the following immediately: 1. Child Abuse Hotline (1-800-482-5964) 2. Cheryl Green, Baxter County Juvenile Services (425-3840) 3. John Montgomery, Baxter County Sheriff (425-7000) 4. Cary Manual, Mountain Home City Police Chief (425-6336) 5. Jimmy Sheppard, DHS Administrator (425-60ll) 6. Pat Blades, County Supervisor, Division of Children and Family Services (425-6011) If you suspect something but are not sure, contact one of the TMP staff members. Your concerns will be kept confidential and the staff can help you in discerning whether or not your suspicions are well founded. Remember that all conversations and/or correspondence with TMP staff will be held with the utmost confidentiality whenever possible. The child's well being is of the highest concern under every circumstance. "Better safe than sorry".