MENTORING / LEADERSHIP / ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Mentoring
Each youth is given a mentor of the same sex, who has been properly vetted and trained and who will give them regular time, attention, and other benefits. Mentors must be stable, successful, loving, respectful, and concerned, and function as moral and spiritual role models.
In general, youth who meet regularly with their mentors are 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking. They are also 52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class. (Public/Private Ventures study of Big Brothers Big Sisters).
Studies show that children with mentors are 33% less likely to resort to violence, 53% less likely to drop out of school, 57 percent more likely to improve their grades, 76% less likely to be involved in gangs, and 99% more likely to avoid teen pregnancy (data from Big Brothers Big Sisters website).
Still another study showed that youth who were mentored at least 6 months were 69% less likely to show signs of depression at follow-up than those who were not mentored. (Positive Support: Mentoring and Depression Among High-Risk Youth.)
These are some of the behaviors at-risk youth manifest: Teen parenthood; Substance abuse; Criminal behaviors; Lack of self-esteem; Poor school performance/Grade retention; Absenteeism; Discipline problems at school; Low educational expectations/Lack of plans for education beyond high school; and Lack of interaction with extracurricular activities.
Mentoring by a caring adult over a prolonged period of time has been shown in countless academic studies to be effective in combating these risk factors.
Youth Leadership Training
All students will participate in a youth leadership training program patterned after several time-tested national programs, e.g., Tavis Smiley's Youth to Leaders, American Youth Leadership Training Program (international travel included), Powerful Youth, et.al.
This program develops students' communication skills, self-confidence, organizational skills, civic/social conscience, and leadership skills through practical experience. They learn team building, positive risk taking, collaborative problem-solving, empathy and appreciation for individual differences, and youth empowerment.
Entrepreneurship Training
Students will apply their leadership skills to start and run their own businesses. Each one will be given a micro-grant, an experienced business mentor, and knowledge and advice on how to run their business. Proceeds from the business will help finance the student's post-high school education, savings and investments, and other activities as taught in their financial literacy program.
Some of these student businesses will create jobs for other people and additional revenue for other TILT projects.
