Training to Prepare Mentors StrengthBased Mentoring Overview of

Training to Prepare Mentors Strength-Based Mentoring

Overview of Training • Increase understanding of realities and possibilities • Provide some ideas and suggestions to foster positive mentoring relationship • Foster positive outcomes for youth

Four Modules 1. 2. 3. 4. Impact of Incarceration on Children and Families Impact of Stress and Trauma on Children Positive Youth Development and Resiliency Mentors as Connectors

Module 1: Impact of Incarceration on Children and Families

You will learn: • Some realities of parental incarceration that families might face. • How feelings associated with parental incarceration, such as loss and anger, can impact children’s relational skills. • Your role as a mentor in supporting a child to understand cope with their experience of having an incarcerated parent.

Impact of Incarceration • The United States has reached an all time high in the numbers of children of incarcerated parents. • Over half of children of incarcerated parents are under the age of 10. • Often housed in facilities that are over 100 miles away from their families. • Some children are not aware that their parent is incarcerated.

Impact of Incarceration A majority of children of incarcerated parents are cared for by relatives • Caregivers face obstacles in caring for children of incarcerated parents: • Increased burden to provide basic needs for family • Medical and mental health needs • Crowded living arrangements • Age and energy of caregiver – often a grandparent takes on this role • Caring for relative children can lead to or contribute to: • Conflicts within the family, • Increased stress and obligations, • Feelings of guilt, anger and resentment, and • Instability

Impact of Incarceration Children of incarcerated parents can be impacted by: Stigma. Embarrassme nt & Shame Poverty Sense of Loss Guilt Depression Trauma

The Role of Mentoring • High quality relationships in young people’s lives is linked to: • increased student engagement • improved academic motivation • higher aspirations for the future • High-quality relationships are characterized as caring, supportive, meaningful, reciprocal. • These relationships foster a sense of belonging and competence.

Developmental Relationships Expressing care Challenging growth Providing support Sharing power Expanding possibilities

Wrap Up • What did we learn?