Rockdale County Juvenile Court Mentoring Program

The Juvenile Court of Rockdale County introduced the Mentoring Program in the fall of 1999. We are a reflection of the needs of the children we serve. In this spirit the Mentoring Program announces our Mission Statement.

TO INTRODUCE A CHILD TO AN ADULT WHO WILL CONSISTENTLY GUIDE, ENCOURAGE AND MOTIVATE THE CHILD FOR AT LEAST SIX MONTHS, AND IN SO DOING, PROVIDE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON AND TO THE CHILD.

WHAT DOES A MENTOR DO?

A mentor is a special type of volunteer. A mentor is an individual committed to helping a young person get his/her life together –academically, socially, mentally and physically. A mentor is dedicated to spending the time and energy necessary to put the youth on the right track. The role of the mentor is multi-faceted. A mentor is a big brother/sister, role model, and most of all, a friend to the student. More specifically, a mentor must:

● Be a listener. In many cases the mentor is the only person that the youth has identified as someone who will listen to him/her.

● Help the student create short and long term goals. Convey the idea to the young person that it takes purposeful planning and commitment to reach set goals.

● Help the child identify the positive things in his/her life. Concentrate on the strengths of the student. Use this as a framework for helping him/her, not only to overcome a weakness, but also to improve self-image.

● Explain to the young person that he/she is one who will be making the decisions and choices in his/her own life. Let the student begin to understand responsibility.

● Help the child with problem solving by role-playing, during which the child becomes the parent or the teacher and the mentor becomes the youngster.

● Help the student develop interests outside of school

● Be sincere and truthful. The mentor will begin to develop a level of trust with the child. TRUST is the most important element in the relationship.

● Make plans with the student and be sure the parent agrees. Be on time for your activities. If the child cannot depend on the mentor, the relationship will not work.

● Enjoy getting to know one another, be a friend and most of all have fun!