Here is a basic overview of a mentoring program that you could approach your local high school with.
Running a program in your local high school is a great way to have a presence in your community and helps connect teens into your youth ministry. You are welcome to use this program in any of your high schools for free. To read more about this program download the pdf at the bottom of the page.
The One Hour is a mentoring program designed to encourage students who are in need of support or someone to spend time with during the week. It provides an environment in which teenagers can share and express what they are going through with a mentor, aged 18-30, who can listen to and encourage the student.
What does it look like?
The One Hour program would run with various students throughout the week. The school would select students who are in need of a mentor, and the student would be scheduled in for a one hour mentoring session. Mentors should not be seen as counsellors, but rather a responsible friend for the student. All mentors understand and subscribe to a professional child protection policy and would always communicate openly with the designated school representative e.g. chaplain, student wellbeing worker etc. Students may be more receptive to a conversation with a responsible friend than a teacher or a counsellor; it is in these situations that the One Hour mentoring program can be of assistance to schools.
Mentors would take a student out of class for one period a week to talk to them about their school work, home life etc. In this time, the mentor would encourage and empower the student to be the best young person that they can be. It could be as simple as playing guitar with the student in the music room, sitting on a bench at school and talking about life with the student or anything else that may help the student to feel comfortable in a conversation.
The One Hour mentors choose activities that are specifically tailored to each student, so that the student feels comfortable to talk to them, and share what they may struggling with.
