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Side-by-Side aims to simultaneously address two very important needs in the human and civil development of the Republic of Armenia. At-risk youth do not receive the supervision, guidance and positive interaction needed to develop into productive, well-adjusted adults. In addition, throughout all social, economic levels of civic life in Armenia, a culture of volunteerism is not developed, encouraged and understood for its aggregate benefit for society. This holds true for both young people and adults.
Side-by-Side is a mentorship program adopted from Big Brothers Big Sisters model that aims to enhance youth's psychological, social, and academic growth, while at the same time, keeping them away from risky activities. Side-by-Side will match carefully selected young, local professionals with at-risk youth for one year. Mentors and mentees will spend one-on-one time twice a month and participate in monthly group activites which will promote volunteerism through community service.
The goal of Side-by-Side is to advocote volunteerism in mentors and mentees through their one-on-one relationship and community service activities.
The one-on-one relationship with their mentor will help youth mature to be more self-sufficient, self-confident, and successful. Similar mentorship programs have a proven record of minimizing tendencies toward drug and alcohol use and aggression in young people. Additional benefits are seen in school attendance, academic performance, and overall attitude toward school. Peer and family relationships also benefit from mentoring (Tierney and Grossman, 2000).
For a mentor, the individual relationship will increase the mentor's self-worth and confidence.
Monthly group community service activities will serve a vital role in helping children learn and understand community service and volunteerism, encouraging them to become life-long volunteers and contributing members of society. Both mentors and mentees will utilize their sense of volunteerism long after they leave the program and will most certainly pass on this culture. This project will instill within the youth and the mentors positive associations with community service and volunteerism.
Side-by-Side aims to serve a large group of at-risk youth and mentors. The pilot phase of the project will last six months. During this period, ten at-risk youth will be partnered with trained mentors. Half of the mentees will be children affiliated with a center (such as the Ghoghanj Children's Center) and the other half will not be affiliated with any center and will be recruited from various communities of Yerevan. Mentors and mentees will meet no less than ten times one-on-one. Five group community service activities will take place in public locations that will both illustrate the value of volunteerism for the target group and the community at large. Public media activities and mid term and final program evaluations will also occur.
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At-risk youth in Armenia lack positive role models in their lives. At-risk youth in Armenia are financially, academically, psychologically, and socially disadvantaged. They are often from broken homes and grow up without long-term, positive, supportive role models in their lives. Centers working with at-risk youth concentrate their limited resources on keeping children off the streets, in school and out of trouble; However these centers cannot provide the consistent one-on-one interaction children need to feel secure, gain confidence, and receive guidance. The deficiency of volunteerism in Armenia. Armenian culture today does not encourage or promote volunteerism. Children grow up to become adults who do not recognize the value and importance of community service and volunteerism. Volunteerism often has negative associations and is viewed as free labor. The current culture encourages citizens to lack responsibility and feel helplessness about the human, social and environmental issues/needs concerning their communities and Armenia. This is clearly a lingering effect of the Soviet system.
Short Term Impact
Ten children will receive immediate mentoring and begin to develop relationships with mentors. Six community service events will be organized involving volunteers and will promote the benefits of volunteerism. Mentors will receive training on serving as role models and interacting as mentors.
Long Term Impact
The long-term impact of Side-by-Side will be seen through the successful development of mentor/mentee relationships with at-risk children in Yerevan. The increase in community service activities and volunteerism in the local community will have a lasting positive effect on society.
Sponsors Benefits
Sponsors will be listed on the websites of both The Paros Foundation and the Ghoghanj Children's Center. In addition, all supporters will be listed in all relevant press related to this project including social media.
Be the first to become a sponsor by donating to this project
Updates: Images & Information
Side-By-Side successfully completed its mentoring for 13 students.