Building Your Power Mentor

Building Your Power Mentor

An Overview

Building Your Power is a new mentoring program that matches culturally diverse, predominately male middle schoolers attending Alexandria City Public Schools with paid adult mentors to work one-on-one with up to three youth to build social, emotional and academic skills needed to help them thrive.

Mentors will build trusting relationships with youth who are demonstrating truant, aggressive and/or antisocial behaviors, provide a safe space for youth, and an atmosphere that is supportive of their needs. Mentors will support development of individual service plans, participate in and assist with educational, social, athletic and recreational activities, and provide progress reports.

No experience is necessary. Training will be provided, along with ongoing support from program managers, school social workers and administrators.

The Opportunity

Support achievement of service plan goals

• Help youth develop healthy social-emotional skills during each outing, using proven strategies of learning, practicing, reflection, and repetition

• Mentors will work one-on-one with up to three youths to build social, emotional, and academic skills needed to help them thrive

• Review school reports and update service plan goals as needed

Support and supervise youth during in-person activities

• Take youth to events in the community including those hosted by the City of Alexandria, Alexandria City Public Schools, and the community

• Attend and support youth engagement in monthly program group events, and to metro-accessible areas (ex: Smithsonian and Alexandria museums and historic sites, free Tickets for Kids events, parks, and recreational centers)

Support program initiatives to increase engagement with youth and their family

• Maintain communication with each youth's support network of parents/guardians, teachers, social workers, and school administrators

• Engage youth, parents/guardians, and/or community members in program-led or school events

Aid in the maintenance and success of program:

• Collaborate with program managers and school staff to collect, record, analyze and monitor youth progress

• Actively participate in the monthly staff meetings

• Maintain communication of success and challenges with program managers

• This position requires mentors to make a commitment to attend in-person events in the City of Alexandria region, as well as virtual meetings

Benefits

• Experience and exposure to juvenile justice, social services, and school systems, processes, procedures, and services.

• Access to content-rich resources from experts in juvenile justice and mental health professionals

• Paid training and hands-on experiences, including Mentoring 101, how to build developmental assets in youth, youth mental health first aid, advocacy and public service

• Internal satisfaction of helping a young person

• Gain valuable work experience in social work, youth advocacy, and criminal justice fields

• Credit eligibility depending on school's independent study qualifications

• Transportation reimbursement

• Stipend to pay for outings with youth

About the Department

The Alexandria Court Service Unit (CSU) provides services to youth and families involved in the juvenile and domestic relations court system. Functions of the CSU include intake, probation and parole; domestic relations complaints including custody, visitation and child support; protective orders; family mediation and therapy; and crime prevention programs.

Minimum & Additional Requirements

The candidate must either be enrolled in an accredited college/university and have completed at least two years of academic coursework (60 credit hours or equivalency); have earned a Bachelor's or master's degree within the previous two years; or currently enrolled in an advanced degree program from an accredited college/university; with a beginning, moderate, or intermediate proficiency in MS Office Suite reflective of their tier of education.

Preferred Qualifications

• Actively pursuing or recent completion of a degree in sociology, psychology, counseling, social work, criminal justice, legal studies, education, exercise science, or related field.

• Passion for supporting prosocial youth development and making a difference in a child's life.

• Exposure to working with diverse socioeconomic groups.

• Bilingual.

• Applicants from marginalized communities.

Notes

This program is made possible through substance use and youth violence prevention grant from the Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services.

Commitment Level:

6-8 work hours/week, based on your availability 10 months, August-May.