The Derby Recreation Commission received a grant from the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) to develop a youth mentoring program at the Oaklawn Activity Center. The $50,000 grant opens up the resources needed to launch the mentoring program, a component that was missing from the after-school program.
The Wellness Hub benefited from the support of the DRC to apply for the grant and work to set up the mentoring program. Janea Trapp, director of community wellness, said DRC has always strived to provide physical and mental health support, which made choosing the grant easy.
“DRC has always been open to ideas like a youth mentoring program,” Trapp said. “We’re really looking at wellness as a whole, from fitness to mental health, health equity, and making sure people’s basic needs are met, which is interesting because you don’t normally think of a leisure center offering things like that. »
Mentoring will be open to fourth and fifth grade students and will take place during scheduled after-school program times. Trapp hopes to expand to younger students and eventually to the Derby Recreation Center, depending on the number of volunteers. OAC provides an opportune place to begin the mentoring program because of its popular after-school program. It is OAC’s most popular program, with nearly 145 students between kindergarten and fifth grade.
“We were looking to start a youth mentoring program, and what better place to do it than the Oaklawn Activity Center,” Trapp said. “The OAC hosts the after-school program, so
this is a great opportunity to invest in these children.
There are many mentoring resources available from the NRPA, and Trapp said that in developing the program, she took elements from the NRPA and other mentoring programs across the country within other parks and leisure entities to build a unique framework. The program will include a wide range of topics, from self-esteem to positive communication skills. There will be a time for discussion, activities related to the topic, and the groups will separate and have discussion points.
Trapp’s goal is to make the mentoring process as simple as possible, and resources will be provided to mentors as early as possible so they can prioritize building positive relationships with students rather than worry about teaching a topic and discussion questions.
“We’re going to make things as simple as possible. We get a preview of what each week is going to look like. We ask quick questions, sort of mapping out the activity. I want mentors to show up and be able to immediately jump in without getting overwhelmed because everything is planned for them. They can then just be that support person and work to build relationships with our youth.
The program is already looking for volunteers and is expected to start in January. Trapp said anyone over 18 is eligible to become a mentor, but will have to complete a required background check. This is a 16-week commitment for the first tranche of the program, which would run from January until the end of the school year.
Trapp believes this would be a beneficial program to add, and that providing a mentoring atmosphere will help students learn valuable life lessons from a mentor.
“I think overall, you know, mentors play an important role in people’s lives,” Trapp said. “Even as adults, mentors play an important role, and I think it’s a way for kids to really become their best selves.” The mentoring program will give them coping skills, ways to increase their self-confidence, build their self-esteem and give them the opportunity to become the best version of themselves.
