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Department of Corrections Mentoring Initiative

Department of Corrections Mentoring Initiative. Goals and Objectives. Fully understand what mentoring is. How to recruit volunteers and work with local schools and children's organizations. How to properly report hours on PeoplesFirst and/or DCs internal tracking system.

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Department of Corrections Mentoring Initiative

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  1. Department of Corrections Mentoring Initiative

  2. Goals and Objectives • Fully understand what mentoring is. • How to recruit volunteers and work with local schools and children's organizations. • How to properly report hours on PeoplesFirst and/or DCs internal tracking system. • Understand the leave policy

  3. What is a Mentor? • A wise and trusted counselor or teacher • A friend, counselor or teacher. • Someone to provide an example and good advice as someone grows and develops. • An adult who provides young people with support, counsel, friendship, positive reinforcement and constructive example.

  4. What a Mentor Is… • A guide • A friend • A good listener • A coach • A responsible adult • A person who cares • A person who wants to help bring out strengths a young person already has

  5. What a Mentor Is Not… • A savior • A foster parent • A therapist • A cool peer

  6. Difference Between a Mentor and Tutor • A mentor is someone willing to devote time to the success of a child through friendship, encouragement and praise • A tutor is someone that is willing to provide one-on-one assistance to increase a child’s mastery of reading, match concepts, English, or other subjects

  7. You Don’t Need Special Education or Skills to be a Mentor or Volunteer… • If you play a musical instrument, you can share that talent. • If you like to read, you can share that love. • You can judge spelling bees. • Participate in religious-centered programs like Royal Rangers. • Essentially, there are many ways you can participate in mentoring – you are not tied to one specific method or type of organization in which you can participate.

  8. Governor’s Mentoring Initiative • DC’s Mentoring Initiative is part of this initiative. • Begun in 1999 to encourage state employees to become mentors. • The Governor’s Mentoring Initiative is an effort to recruit Floridians to become mentors and make a difference in the lives of Florida’s youths. • This initiative is not a program – it is a process to change the way we involve ourselves in helping those around us.

  9. Governor’s Mentoring Initiative Goals… • Governor Bush’s goal is to recruit 200,000 Floridians to become “new” mentors. • This is a hands-on opportunity for the citizens of Florida to help change our schools and investing

  10. Governor’s Mentoring Initiative Goals… • Governor Bush’s goal is to recruit 200,000 Floridians to become “new” mentors. • 10% of all state employees. For DC, this is 2,600. • This is a hands-on opportunity for the citizens of Florida to help change our schools and investing.

  11. Governor’s Mentoring Initiative Supported by the Legislature… Section 14.295, Florida Statutes Florida Volunteer and Community Service Act of 2001 “It is the intent of the Legislature to promote the development of better communities by fostering greater civic responsibility through volunteerism and service to the community…”

  12. Why Mentor? • The future of the state depends on the investment we make today. • We are all responsible for the “state” of our state, both now and into the future. • One person can made a difference.

  13. Why Mentor? • U.S. Department of Justice says 50% of all adults in federal and state correctional institutions cannot read or write at all. • Only about one-third of those in prison have completed high school. • The typical 25 year old male inmate functions 2-3 grade levels below the grade actually completed. • U.S. Department of Education statistics show that 60% of prison inmates are illiterate and 85% of all juvenile offenders have reading problems.

  14. Why Mentor? A child mentored is: • 52% less likely to skip school. • 27% less likely to begin drinking alcohol • 46% less likely to start using drugs. • 33% less likely to engage in a fight. Any child can use a mentor!

  15. Why Mentor? Make A Difference • The demand is great – every town in Florida has long waiting lists for mentors • Mentoring can be one-on-one, in groups, or e-mentoring, where you can mentor on-line.

  16. Types of Mentoring • You can “share” a child where co-mentor or partner with another person in your office. • Alternate weeks with a co-worker or partner if you have a heavy workload. • If you wish to work in a group with lots of kids, let the school volunteer coordinator know. • Participate in e-mentoring with a child.

  17. Opportunities • Mentor at public, private, or parochial schools • Big Brothers/Big Sisters • Boys and Girls Clubs • Guardian ad Litem • Best Buddies • Communities in Schools • Take Stock in Children

  18. Decisions to Make… • What age or grade level do you want to mentor? • Do you want to mentor one-on-one or in a group setting? • Where do you want to mentor?

  19. Age or Grade Level… • Elementary School level… • Kindergarten through 5th grade • 5 – 10 years old • Will do mostly tutoring • Can partner with another mentor so that you can alternate weeks

  20. Age or Grade Level… • Middle School • 6th grade through 8th grade • 11 – 13 years-old • Hormones beginning to drive actions • Some tutoring; more guidance and goal setting • Schools advise no partnering with another mentor – seeking stability

  21. Age or Grade Level… • High School • 9th through 12th grade • 14 – 18 years-old • Raging hormones • Primarily mentoring, which may include goal setting, encouragement, and guidance. • No mentoring partnering

  22. One-on-One or Group Mentoring? • Greatest need is one-on-one mentoring, but it does require a commitment of at least one hour per week with a student during the school year. • Group mentoring could include: • Making a presentation to a class • Judging a science or history fair, speech, or spelling contest, etc.

  23. Where to Mentor? • Partner schools • School near your home or on your way to work • School where your own child attends • Big Brothers, Big Sisters • Boys and Girls Clubs • Guardian ad Litem

  24. Getting Started • For the mentor: • Talk to the mentoring coordinator • Obtain your supervisor’s approval • Complete Form DC5-148A • Contact the school volunteer/mentor coordinator • Complete the school application/background check • School coordinator will assign you a child • Report your hours to your Regional Time Keeper using form DC5-148B and in PeopleFirst

  25. Getting Started Complete the Application for Participation in Volunteer Opportunities • Name • Work address • School requested • Availability • Type of activity – Mentoring, special school wide projects and events, assisting economically disadvantaged students, community based activities that serve children, elder, or human needs or church-sponsored community based projects • Submit to Chris Akins – contact information is on the form.

  26. You do NOT need to complete a new application when your schedule changes or you wish to change schools or type of activity, unless your Supervisor requires it. Simply obtain your Supervisor’s approval for the change and continue your mentoring/volunteering.

  27. Reporting Mentoring Hours Two Methods • PeopleFirst • Department of Corrections Volunteer/Mentor Record (DC5-148B)

  28. Reporting Mentoring Hours PeopleFirst • Use Code “0044” to report Administrative Leave Mentoring/Volunteer Hours • Use Code “1008” to report Mentoring/Volunteer Hours outside of work.

  29. Reporting Mentoring Hours

  30. Reporting Mentoring Hours Department of Corrections Volunteer/Mentor Record (DC5-148B) Simply include your: Name Social Security Number Pay Plan Work Location Mentoring Information – location and hours Send to your Regional Time Keeper!

  31. Why Record Non-Mentoring Hours? • We report to the Governor’s office the number of hours spent mentoring and/or volunteers each quarter. • Non-work hours and volunteers count toward the 10% goal of all employees. • Such reports place Corrections in a favorable light with the Governor, Legislature, media, and the communities in which we serve. • You will be eligible for recognition and various awards program.

  32. Where are we now? • Mentoring Statistics from July 1st, 2005 to October 10th, 2005: • Total Number of Employee's Mentoring: 361 • Total Number of Mentoring Records for Schools: 246 • Total Number of Mentoring Records for Community Organizations: 115 • Total Number of Administrative Leave Hours: 516.25 • Total Number of Non-Working Mentoring Hours: 1,345.75

  33. Where do we need to be? • By June 30th, 2006, we need at least 2,600 mentors. • 2,600 mentors volunteering one hour 26 times per year would be 67,600 hours.

  34. What Kind of Awards or Recognition • Governor’s Points of Light Award • Governor’s Mentoring Initiative Award of Excellence – prize is Carnival Cruise for 2 • Recognition on DC’s Mentoring webpage

  35. You Must Take the Initiative • The statewide coordinator is here to assist you. • However, it is up to you and the mentors to contact the school and follow-up with the school volunteer coordinator. • It is your responsibility to report your volunteer hours.

  36. Leave Policy ALWAYS GET YOUR SUPERVISOR’S PERMISSION! The supervisor always has final authority.

  37. Leave Policy Employees are allowed one hour per week in Administrative Leave to perform mentoring services. In certain situations, an employee can use up to four hours at one time, however, that employee will have to wait for four weeks before being able to take Administrative Leave again for mentoring.

  38. If you have any questions… Robert Woody Chief, Community Relations 850-922-3868

  39. If you have any questions… Chris Akins Statewide Mentoring Coordinator Executive Director, Corrections Foundation 850-488-1250

  40. Volunteers Needed Guardian ad Litem • A Volunteer Guardian ad Litem is an individual who is appointed by the court to advocate for children who come into the court system primarily as a result of alleged abuse or neglect.  Volunteer Guardian ad Litems are: • Individuals who respects a child's inherent right to grow up with dignity in a safe environment that meets that child's best interests. • Individuals who assures that the child's best interests are represented in the court at every stage of the case.

  41. Volunteers Needed Guardian ad Litem How much time must I commit as a Volunteer Guardian ad Litem? A Guardian ad Litem must successfully complete 30 hours of certification training and 6 hours annually of recertification training, and spend an average of 11.75 hours per month with the child.

  42. Volunteers Needed Guardian ad Litem What is the role of the Guardian ad Litem? The Guardian ad Litem carries out the following activities: Investigation: Carries out an objective, systematic examination of the situation, including relevant history, environment, relationships, and needs of the child. The GAL interviews family, friends, neighbors and members of the child's school. Facilitation: Identifies resources and services for the child and facilitates a collaborative relationship between all parties involved in the case, helping to create a situation in which the child's needs are met. Advocacy: Conveys the best interests of the child to the court and relevant agencies. Monitoring: Keeps track of whether the orders of the court, as well as the plans of the Department of Children and Families, are carried out. 

  43. Volunteers Needed Guardian ad Litem http://www.guardianadlitem.org/ 1-866-341-1425

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