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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 19, 1994)
Transfer Students Get to Know Us - y^4r Before you Need Us. Student Health Center X4441 SAM’S ON CAMPUS SANDWICHES ANY SANDWICH With coupon. Good for everyone In party Expires 12/10/94. FREE DELIVERY (Delivery Mon.-Fri..l 1 a.m. 5 p.m.. campus area only) Where A Sandwich Is A Complete Meal! We Bake Our Bread Fresh Daily I Corner of 12th & Alder 343-1141 J5 Vurii-lir* of Hot & Cold Sundu’irhr* und f> Soups Dotty lot Her* or To Go I I Mentors support at-risk youth By Tara Gaultney OntQon D&fy For most people, adolescence is a confusing age. they're not quite a < hild anymore, and yet not an adult either. However, for some youths, dealing with an abu sive or neglectful home life, in which parents either don't provide the guidance they need or simply aren't able to, that ago can be even more difficult. These arc the youths who are more at risk to drop out of school, become pregnant at an early age. or get involved with drug use or gang activi ties Committer! Partners for Youth was started in 1901 to help provide mentors for such at-risk stu dents. to provide them support and encourage ment. and to help them build self-esteem. Current ly there are 28 mentor-youth pairs involved in the program Six of the 28 mentors aro University stu dents. The seven-month program works with youth who. with the help of participating middle schools, are identified as "at-risk." The program is strictly voluntary, so youth in the program are there because they have the desire to make a change in their lives When young people first decide to become involvod with the program, they identify three goals designed to make a difference in their indi vidual lives, whether it's getting in trouble less, making more friends or becoming more successful at school. The mentors help the youth set realistic goals and help guide them to succeed in those goals But they are mainly there for support. Although the program is like the Big Brother/Big Sister program in that it provides a one-on-one relationship between adult and youth, it is unique in the fact that mentors and youth actually estab lish a community among themselves. "We create a community where these kids can gel support." said Rosanna Galindo, program man ager "So they don't only develop a relationship with their mentor, they create a relationship with 34 other adults." The mentors go through an initial training work shop to begin building the community and support among themselves and to start giving them the We create a community where these kids can get support. So they don’t only develop a relationship with their mentor, they create a relationship with 34 other adults — Rosanna Galindo, Committed Partners for Youth skills they need to work with their youths. Although the emotional commitment is large, the time commitment is small. There are two meetings a month. One is a com munity meeting with mentors and youths. The other involves mentors only. Every third woek there is an event, which in the past has been anything from a barbecue to a rafting trip. And, of course, there is the one-on-one time spent between mentor and youth, onto a week. Group activities are very structured: however, time spent between mentor and youth is com pletely up to the pair and can be anything from going to a movie to rollerskating with a group of mentors and youths to simply hanging out on tarn pus together. Psychology major David Victor said that even though the youth he is helping lives in Springfield, ho had never been on the University campus. Vic tor said being at tho University was a groat expe rience for both of them. Victor was able to show his young person the opportunities available to him if he stays on tracIA and Victor learned a few new things from hi9 youth partner about computers while at the Uni versity computer lab. No experience in counseling or psychology is required to become a mentor, only the desire to make a commitment to a young person who needs someone to trust and to look up to. Univorsity stu dents can earn credit through ESCAPE by par ticipating in the program. Galindo said they would like to see more University students involved in the program. With more mentors. Galindo said, they could reach more youths. I • one block from campus • same low prices • expanded floor space Bring your Textbook Information author, title, edition f We'll help you save $$$ Sell some of last year's Textbooks f and help pay for this term's books f Smith Family 1 Bookstore 768 East 13th • (503) 345-1651 J Eugene, Oregon 97401 n 342-1751 1611 Oak St. See Entertainment Section for our Ad! T ?0% ^V/ OFF 1st Haircut w/Any Color Service or Penn exp dole 11 -30-94 J SAME OLD HANGOUT? WHAT'S UP WITH THAT? 4 ly'SwWithBig Screen I 165 W. 11 fcgfcte Klnq Waht 583-81011
