BUILDING BRIDGES: JOB CORPS PEER MENTORING STRATEGY

1. BUILDING BRIDGES: JOB CORPS PEER MENTORING STRATEGY Judith A. Tindall, Ph.D., Licensed Psychologist, Peer Resource Consultant NAPP Board Approved Certified Trainer/Consultant, CPPE, St. Louis JC CMHC Psychological Network, Inc. 58 Portwest Court St. Charles, MO 63303 636-916-5800 E-mail: psynetinc@sbcglobal.net www.psynetinc@com

2. Agenda • What are Peer Programs? • Needs for Peer Programs at Job Corps • Team Work for Peer Mentor/Peer Mediation • Rational for Peer Programs • Utilization of Peer Mentors/Peer Mediators • Interactive vs. Non-interactive Training • Resources

3. Outcomes • Know ONE way that Peer Mentors and/or Peer mediators can expand health services on campus • Learn ONE model for working as a team with CPP, Academics, Trades, Wellness • List THREE major components of Programmatic Standards • Come away with ONE way to utilize P.M. • Site ONE reason to set up peer mentor programs on JC campuses • Understand the difference between INTERACTIVE and non-interactive training • Know resources for setting up Peer Mentor programs

4. What is Peer Helping? • In 1993, the NAPP defined peer helping as “a variety of supportive services initiated by peers in diverse settings. Peers are individuals who share a common characteristics and experiences”.

5. Peer Helping definition (cont.) • “Peer helping is defined as a variety of interpersonal helping behaviors assumed by nonprofessionals who undertake a helping role with others. Peer helping includes one-on-one helping relationships, group leadership, discussion leadership, mentoring, advisement, tutoring, and all activities of an interpersonal helping or assisting nature. A peer helper refers to a person who assumes the role of a helping person with contemporary and/or cross-age population”. Peer Programs: An In-depth Look at Peer Programs. J. Tindall, Ph.D., Randy Black, Ph.D.

6. Why are Peer Programs Effective? • Young people have tremendous influence over other young people • Young people are natural helpers • Young people are their own best resources and can be used to augment the insufficient adult resources on most school campuses • Trained young people who augment school support services are a cost-effective resource • Young people who have mastered life-skills are successful at life • Calif. Assoc. of Peer Programs: Comprehensive Evaluation of Peer Programs, 2001

7. Why Peer Helping Works (cont.) • Adding a well-designed peer or cross-age teaching component to an elementary or secondary school helps to promote academic achievement and interpersonal growth • Tutored students score higher on examination performance than those in conventional classes • With a trained tutor, 98% of students academically outperformed those who are taught in a conventional classroom

8. Why Peer Helping Works (cont.) • Peers may have a better understanding of the concerns and the pressures facing the target group than an adult professional might • Peer programs are dramatically more effective in decreasing drug use than all other programs, even at the lowest level of intensity • Youth (grade 6-12) that engaged in projects and programs to help others on a weekly basis are less likely to report at-risk behavior • Peer programs are twice as effective with community support

9. Peer Resources=Bridge to Prevention • Why are Peers Important? • Why is a Peer Resource Training Program important? • Why are Peer-Helping Programs an Effective Prevention Strategy?

10. Selected Resource Literature • How Do Peer Helpers Help? • Prejudice Reduction • Smoking • Alcohol, Tobacco and other drugs • Violence Prevention through Conflict Mediation • Gang prevention/intervention • Mentoring • Health Education • HIV/AIDS Education • Community and Family • Tutoring • Peer Ministry

11. 40 Developmental Assets • Support • Empowerment • Boundaries and Expectations • Constructive use of time • Commitment to learning • Positive Values • Social Competencies • Positive Identity

12. The Power of Assets to Promote Positive Attitudes and Behaviors • Succeed in School 0-10=7%; 11-20=19%; 21-30=35%; 31-40=53% • Values Diversity 0-10=34%; 11-20=53%; 21-30=69%; 31-40=87% • Maintains Good Health 0-10=25%; 11-20=46%; 21-30=69%; 31-40=88% • Delays Gratification 0-10=27%; 11-20=46%; 21-30=56%; 31-40=72%

13. ConnectednessDr. Bloom, M.D., Ph.D. Univ. of MN • Students who feel connected to school are ….. • Less likely to use substances • Experience less emotional distress • Engage in less violent or deviant behavior • Less likely to become pregnant

14. The Sample • National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health • A stratified random sample of 80 high schools and primary feed schools • N=134 schools (127 participated in school survey) • N=71,515 students in 7th through 12th grade • 127 school administrators surveys

15. Life Long Impact Peer Information Center for Teens • Graduates from 1986-1993 (34% return) • Life Skills, Leadership Skills, Employability • Scale 1 (not at all) to 5 (all the time) • Attending- 4.4 • Listening (Empathy and Summarizing)-4.50 • Problem Solving/Decision Making-4.47 • Referral to Others-3.80 • Group Facilitation-3.48

16. Life Skills (cont.) • Use Helping Skills with others - 4.40 • Use Helping Skills in my personal life - 4.29 • Use Helping Skills at work - 4.42

17. Follow-up study (cont.) • Values • Believe in PICT peer helper mission “Helping Others Helps Themselves” - 4.75 • Behaving as a helper to others - 4.60

18. Follow-up study (cont.) • Healthy Life Style Choices • Managing Stress effectively - 3.75 • Chose not to drink alcohol or drink in moderation - 4.69 • Chose to be drug free - 4.93 • Chose to eat in a healthy manner - 3.72 • Know about HIV/AIDS/STD information 5.00 • Violence - 4.95

19. Follow-up study (cont.) • Chose to use protection against pregnancy and disease during sexual relationships - 57% • Trying to achieve pregnancy - 23% • Not sexually active - 18% Peer Facilitator Quarterly, Vol. 19.No. 4, 2003

20. Risk and Protective FactorsHawkins, J.D., Catalano, R.F. • RISK FACTORS are those elements in a young person’s environment that increases the likelihood of engaging in negative and antisocial behaviors Examples • Community Risk Factors • transitions and mobility • community laws and norms favorable to drug use • firearms and crime • availability of drugs and firearms

21. Risk Factors (cont.) • Family Risk Factors • family conflict • poor family management • School Risk Factors • academic failure • lack of commitment to school • school disorganization • Individual/Peer Group Risk Factors • early initiation of problem behavior • friends who engage in problem behaviors • favorable attitude toward problem behaviors

22. Protective Factors • PROTECTIVE FACTORS are those factors that, when present in a young person’s developmental environment, buffer, protect, and insulate them against the development of health and behavior problems Examples • Individual Characteristics • intelligence • resilience • social competence

23. Protective Factors (cont.) • Bonding to • family • peers • school • neighborhood/community • Healthy beliefs and clear standards • communicated to young people by their families, schools, communities, and peer groups

24. Bonding: The Key to Positive Youth Development • Opportunities provide a chance to develop skills and gain group recognition • Mastery of skills leads to recognition and more opportunities for group recognition • Positive reinforcement cements the bond between young people and the group and encourages further

25. Wisconsin Study • Wisconsin Study - 244 (94%) peer advisors that receive state AODA responded • Findings: • Reduced health risks to students • Safer school environments • Enhanced learning climates • Increased opportunities for student involvement

26. Indiana Study • 294 corporations - 122 school corporations responded (41%) • 72% of the counties have reported peer programs • Average length of programs - 5 years • 40% of the schools offer P.H. for credit

27. St. Louis Job Corps Story • CPP drop out • 7 years ago: 75% of CPP students age 16 and 17 did not last after 45 days!!! • Within 6 months after starting a Peer Mentor program – reduced to 15%! Now----- • Students leaving Dorms because of conflict: • 2006-2007 vs. 2007-2008: 30% drop in students leaving due to violence and conflict

28. Disciplinary Separation for Violence Nov. 2006-2007 Females-33, Males-88 Total 121 Nov. 2007-2008 Females-16, Males-70 Total 86 Reduction – 29% Females-51% reduction, Males-26% reduction

29. Building Bridges

30. Building Bridges

31. Changing Center Culture

32. Friday Morning TrainingSecretary Taking Notes

33. Peer Mentor Supervisor

34. Peer Mentor/Mediation Team • Student Leadership- Ms. Foster • Residential Life- Mr. Chatman • Wellness– Ms.Smith • R.A.- Helping with Peer Mediation-Ms. Traywick • CPP Manager- Ms. Williams, Week 1 coordinator • Wellness Manager-Peer Mentors-Wellness • Assist. Director- Mr. Young • CMHC- Judith Tindall, Ph.D. • SPO- Ms. Horton referral • Counselors/Teachers- refer

35. Vision of Peer Mentoring St. Louis Job Corps Trainees (Mentees) will complete St. Louis Job Corps ready for healthy and productive lives.

36. Mission Peer Mentors will assist trainees to become employable by being a healthy role model to assist trainees persist through Job Corps, resist gangs, drugs and other at-risk behavior.

37. Tag Line “Students Helping Students”

38. Goals of St. Louis Job Corps Peer Mentor Program • To create an opportunity for trainees to serve as mentors • Provide training for Mentors • To provide supervision for the activities the mentors perform • To provide a structure for mentor/mentee interaction • To evaluate the program • To provide incentives to mentors/mentees

39. Characteristics of Prevention Programs that Work! • Uses a research-based risk and protective factor framework that involves families, peers, schools and communities partners to target multiple outcomes • Is long term, age specific, and culturally appropriate • Fosters development of individuals who are healthy and fully engaged through teaching them to apply social-emotional skills and ethical values in daily life

40. Sample Goals of the Peer ProgramYear 1 • To start a Peer Helper Program that follows NAPP Programmatic Standards • To Select Peer Helpers (Mentors) • To Train Peer Helpers in Basic Skills and Mentoring • Provide ongoing supervision and training

41. Guidelines for an Effective Program • Organizational needs than can be partially solved through peer programs • Needs that leads to rational and mission for program • Clearly defined goals, objectives and timelines • System support=infrastructure incorporates and accommodates peer program • Advisory board that includes advocates and stakeholders for program • Caring, skilled, energetic, organized, trained adult professional leaders that follow NAPP Programmatic Standards

42. Guidelines (cont.) • Research/developmentally appropriate program design • Staff included in planning, training, and evaluation • Appropriate recruitment, screening, and selection • Training of sufficient quality and quantity that follows NAPP Programmatic Standards • Placement appropriate • Ongoing supervision, training, assessment and support • Evaluation and assessment • Celebration and recognition

43. Programmatic Standards and Ethics Start-Up • Section I. A: What are the goals and objectives of your peer helping program?

44. Commitment • Administrative support • Committee support • Financial resources, programming expenses and funding • Curriculum and training resources

45. Staffing • List qualities and characteristics of peer program staff • BRAG TIME! - Share what YOU bring to your program! • What needs to work on?

46. Organizational Structure • Rate • Share • Diverse structure • Compare goals to structure: congruent?

47. Program Implementation Model

48. Key Program Components • Selection • Training • Service Delivery • Supervision • Evaluation

49. Selection • Train everyone • Select through applications, interviews, recommendations • Survey and select top candidates • Clear criteria that will achieve goals

50. Training • Who trains? • Training components – see Checklist Role of Peer Helper, Communication Skills, Ethics and Referral, Problem Solving • Additional topics and issues • Consistent with goals and objectives • Rate training process • Record strengths and growth areas