On February 4th, our Youth Leadership Team (YLT) facilitated a workshop for worksite mentors. The workshop, designed and facilitated entirely by the youth leaders, provided the mentors with insights and tools to build strong relationships with teen interns and foster a safe space in the workplace.
The training was well-received by the participating mentors. “The activities in this workshop gave me great information that will help me work with my interns,” said one mentor. “This workshop really got me thinking,” another commented.
The workshop featured an interactive icebreaker, small group discussions, a tip sheet for mentors, and a question-and-answer panel in which the mentors could ask the YLT members for the youth perspective.
“I loved the activities and group work. It was great!” one mentor exclaimed. “I really enjoyed how interactive this workshop was. The interns gave really honest answers to our questions,” another mentor said.
For the YLT members, the workshop was both a challenge and a triumph. “We are used to working with other youth, and so it was a challenge to do a workshop for mentors,” explained YLT member Svetlana Taushnyanskaya. “We knew we had to be serious and professional, but we also wanted the mentors to have fun. It turned out to be great! The mentors asked a lot of questions and seemed to be learning new things. When it was time for me to facilitate my part, I was really nervous. But once I started talking, I realized, I can do this—I’ve done this a hundred times with youth. Adults aren’t that different.”
This is the second year that the YLT has facilitated a workshop for worksite mentors, and it has become our most popular mentor workshop.
Pictured: Youth leader panelist answering mentors’ toughest questions about working with teen interns.