Mission Statement
The mission of Berea Buddies is to build mentoring relationships
between the youth of the Berea area and the students of Berea College.
Our goal is to serve children by offering them security, devotion,
and stability all while helping them to grow as world citizens.
About the Program
Berea Buddies was started in 1990 in cooperation
with Campus Ministries and was called Berea Friends. The original
program had 10 active
child/mentor matches. As the program grew, it became a primary
program of Students for Appalachia. Berea Buddies is modeled after
the Big
Brothers Big Sisters program. After processing applications, the
Berea Buddies staff pairs student
volunteers with children from the community. Most of the children
have been recommended to us by surrounding Family Resource Centers.
Others have just heard about us and have asked to join. We accept
as many kids as we can, usually about 45. Some of the children
may be experiencing difficulties at home; others may not. Whatever
the
case may be, we try to provide each child with a reliable big buddy.
We also try to make our matches based on what the big and little
buddies have in common. Big buddies (the volunteers) and little
buddies (the children) then commit to meeting either every Monday
or every
Tuesday, excepting those days when college classes are not in session,
from 5:45 to 7:45 PM.
The buddies first meet and have a meal in the cafeteria. Thereafter, the campus
is theirs to explore together. The Seabury Athletic Center, the Corner Pocket
Game Room, the Arts and Crafts room in the Bruce/Trades building, the cross
country trails, the creek, or the library - wherever buddies may
decide to go, the important
thing is that each big buddy and his or her little buddy spend time together.
Some nights, group activities are planned, such as a snake show sponsored by
the Biology club; but these activities are generally optional. There is also
one mandatory Saturday Service Project each semester.
Finally, Berea Buddies is a program based on consistency. Big buddies must
be consistent role models for their little buddies; they must always
be there each
and every week. The minimum is a full-semester commitment, but we always hope
buddies stay together longer. Many times they do.
 What is a Mentor?
A mentor is a trusted friend committed to a one-on-one relationship
that focuses on the needs of the young person. The emphasis of mentoring
is to foster a caring and supportive relationship that enables the
mentoree to develop into his/her fullest potential. The process
involves a willingness to share and give of the self.
Ideas for You and Your Mentoree
- Make dinner
together
- Go to the library together
- Tackle some homework
- Play ping-pong Paint together
- Play basketball or racquetball
- Play a board game
- Make puppets and create a puppet show
- Go swimming
- Read to each other
Contact Us
For more information, please contact Jasmine Handley
(
), the program manager. The office number for this program is also 985-3805.
Resources
|
