Since 2005 mentoring has been an integral part of our methodology. The goal is to empower students from disadvantaged backgrounds and maximize their potential for a successful and fulfilling life. Our group of twenty tutors, coordinators and senior staff integrates mentoring into all our work, since home and school settings too often do not offer this support for a student’s emotional and personal growth and development.
In 2013, Leadership That Works, Inc., developed a three-year program to train the Center leadership in a coaching methodology designed for our specific needs as a nonprofit organization. Our 2014 initial year of training for twenty Center staff began with a week-long intensive on-site seminar followed by a second phase of distance learning during which each Center participant was assigned their own professional coach with whom they worked via Skype. There was also a final on-site session to reinforce and further develop the new skills of our leadership.
Coaching theory and practice enabled staff participants to discover valuable interpersonal communication skills to enhance the success of the Center. The initial skills developed by this program included:
learning the art of attentive listening and the significance of paying attention to body language
using clear and succinct language
asking the right questions instead of giving answers
leading others to come up with answers of their own.
We are seeking funds for further follow-up training in 2016.