Volunteer at your workplace – Mentors Needed, Spark Philadelphia

Posted by on December 17, 2012

Volunteer at your workplace – Mentors Needed, Spark Philadelphia

Summary: Be a Professional Mentor for a 7th or 8th Grader:
-Help the student connect career success to success in school so they stay engaged and committed to high school graduation
-The student comes to your workplace 2 hours a week for 8 weeks from March-May
-You work on projects and activities together to expose them to the career and teach them “21st Century Skills” (like critical thinking, problem solving, communication, etc).

More information:
About Spark: Spark seeks to reduce the dropout rate by identifying middle school students showing signs of disengaging in school and matching them with a mentor in a career of interest for an 8 week apprenticeship.  By exposing students to the workplace through a meaningful adult relationship, Spark helps students understand and re-engage in the relevance of their education.

In its pilot semester, Spark will serve sixty 7th and 8th graders from three West Philadelphia schools. Spark is currently seeking local businesses and organizations who wish to host Spark Apprentices for the 8 week program starting in late February 2013.  For more information, please see http://www.sparkprogram.org; email Jim Schroder at philadelphia@sparkprogram.org with questions or to apply by January 1st.

Program Time Commitment:
-Mentor Match Night – opening evening event, at student’s school, late February
-Apprenticeship – 8 weeks from late February through April, Wednesday or Thursday afternoons from 2:30-4:30pm
-Discovery Night Celebration – closing evening event, at student’s school, mid May

Mentor Requirements: must work in West Philly or Center City, commit to the full session, have interest in volunteering with urban youth (no experience necessary), and willingness to plan activities to introduce students to success in their career path.

For more information: http://www.sparkprogram.org, or contact Jim (jschroder@sparkprogram.org, 215-798-0007)
Mentor Experience Youtube  – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKWxmXEpC4E
West Philly Local Article – http://www.westphillylocal.com/2012/12/03/spark-youth-program-coming-to-west-philly-seeking-mentors/

To sign-up to mentor: email Jim (jschroder@sparkprogram.org) for an application by January 1st