Purpose

This initiative is aimed at working with youth ages 15-18 to promote collective efficacy by recognizing young adults as effective “agents of community change." The overarching goal is to cultivate the vision and voice of youth and “connect” them with mentoring and role models found through volunteer experiences with neighborhood-based organizations.  A longer term goal is to encourage these young people to become peer mentors while further developing their leadership abilities to organize unique projects that further promote collective efficacy in the community.  In essence, this initiative is cyclical by always building upon the capacities of youth.  This model reflects a community youth development approach.  It is more focused on building the confidence of youth and the ability to feel connected and useful to the community. R.O.A.R has graduated over 110 youth in the Tampa Bay community. 

Training Outline

The Youth Mentoring and Community Engagement program is designed to assist youth in the community in a step by step process of peer-to peer mentoring for the sake of youth mobilization by strengthening the voice of youth within civic and community-based organizations and non-profit leadership. Curriculum developed by Dr. Robin Ersing and Peggy Dorvil.

Youth Vision

 Recruiting

• Participants will begin to focus on definition, vision, and purpose and encompass the strategies of recruiting while focusing on the skills needed to implement peer to peer recruitment.

 Organization

• This focus area will demonstrate the next phase of recruiting and will ask youth to engage in asking pertinent questions that should be addressed once organized.

Youth Voice

 Action

• This area will focus on how to get an idea or project mobilized.  In this area, emphasis will be placed on strategies, staying focused and consistent on intent and purpose, and illustrating techniques on ensuring the effectiveness of said initiative.

Results

• As the final step, participants will be taught on the importance of measuring results as it relates to the initiative. Participants will also be taught on different methods of how to effectively measure results during and after said initiative

Participants

Participants will consist of youth and youth serving organizations

Length of Time

Each training will consist of a Two-Day Training Workshop.

Expected Outcomes

• Training and knowledge gained reintegrated back in to the communities
• Community leverage through the youth voice
• Promoting youth advocacy within the respective communities