The Mentor Project at Penn State Behrend works with local schools and community sites to promote positive youth development by forming lasting relationships between Erie youth and trained mentors.
As a research-informed program, The Mentor Project at Behrend follows best practice guidelines from the national organization MENTOR and works closely with The Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania (TMP). Staff and faculty affiliates at CORE are certified regional trainers for TMP and are able to offer Mentor Training 101 sessions for local organizations and schools in Erie County.
The needs and resources of each participating site are assessed to determine how best to promote positive youth development through mentoring. Currently, The Mentor Project at Penn State Behrend utilizes a small group-mentoring model, working both with trained Penn State mentors, as well as community mentors. This inter-generational group provides both mentees and mentors with an opportunity to learn from and with each other. Mentors come equipped to each mentoring session with evidence-based social-emotional curriculum, derived from the RAPS Manual: Relationships are Pathways To Success (original source: The Ophelia Project).
The Mentor Project worked with many area schools and education sites:
- Autism Society
- Barber National Institute
- East Middle School
- Erie City Mission
- Iroquois Elementary
- Rice Ave Middle School - Girard
- Wattsburg Area Middle School
For more information about The Mentor Project, please contact Mary Baird, Mentor Coordinator
Penn State Behrend students and community members can find more information online about applying to become a mentor.