UMADAOP Magazine

“They know that they can always come here in the evening time and just cool out,”Williams says. “It also helps them to network with their peers and establish that social relationship.” In the summer, the Lorain UMADAOP also tries to put students to work by hiring as many as they can to become peer mentors. Williams says bringing older students back into the fold and giving them a sense of purpose and responsibility reinforces their growth while contributing to positive community development. “Feeling they’re in charge of the younger kids gets them excited too, because they understand they have to be that mentor for them,”Williams says.

CONTINUING THE MISSION The program goes beyond the classroom and features an afterschool component as well. Students attending the afterschool program follow a schedule designed to promote positive life choices. The afternoon begins with an hour of homework time where students can get help from a tutor. The day then turns to more creative activities where students can create art, dance, and play games that reinforce substance abuse prevention messages. Williams says the program provides a safe place for kids to stay out of trouble while developing their social and analytical skills.

LORAIN UMADAOP MENTORING PROGRAM CREATES SUCCESS I I

When it comes to making a difference in a child’s life, staff at the Lorain UMADAOP know you can’t wait for kids to come to you, you have to go out and meet them where they are. That’s why the Reconnections Youth Mentoring Program has been so successful in its unique approach to getting kids some much-needed guidance. As part of the program, a Lorain UMADAOP staff member visits area schools three times per week to mentor roughly 10 to 15 students at each school. The students have been identified as at-risk because of their living situation and the goal is to improve not only grades, but their overall well-being. The students generally meet with their mentor one-on-one, but they will have some group sessions as well, discussing things like poverty, family issues, conflicts with peers, and substance abuse prevention. “I think the overall benefit is it allows the individual to grow and to be able to socially connect with their peers and respect authority,” says Ruth Williams, executive director of the Lorain UMADAOP. “There might be something that's hindering them from getting that C or that B and it’s because of the issues they're dealing with at home.”

But they’re not the only ones who enjoy it. Lorain UMADAOP staff say they cherish the opportunity to help students succeed and take pride in seeing them grow as individuals. With hopes of expanding the program to more schools in the future, Williams says she’s committed to helping as many students succeed as possible. “I see growth within the kids,”Williams says. “It makes you feel good because you know that it’s worthwhile doing what you're doing because you made a difference in somebody’s life.”

LASTING CONNECTIONS Williams says she knows the program is working because of all the familiar faces they see coming back day after day. She says many of the students also form lifelong bonds with staff members, keeping in touch over the phone or returning to offer their support and appreciation for the program. “They come back. That's how you know they enjoyed it, they come back,” Williams says.

“It allows the individual to grow and to be able to socially connect with their peers and respect authority.” - Ruth Williams, Executive Director, Lorain UMADAOP

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