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Online Training

With funding from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention of the U.S. Department of Justice, TCAM has created these free training resources.

Self-Paced Modules

These training modules incorporate mentoring research and best practices, interactive activities, opportunities to learn and practice skills, and recommended resources. Each of the modules can be completed in 30–40 minutes—at a time that’s convenient for you.

TCAM Online Training Series for Mentors

This series of six online training modules for mentors focuses on how to be an effective mentor to a young person who is involved in the juvenile justice or foster care system or is at risk for gang involvement. The modules are designed to be used in combination with in-person mentor training provided by local mentoring programs.

What Is a Mentor?    
Describes the fundamentals of mentoring at-risk youth and the five critical elements of the mentor’s role: build trust, listen, encourage, be reliable, and enjoy your time together.
Understanding Your Mentee's Background    
Explores the four essential human needs of connectedness, competence, independence, and service, as well as how young people may attempt to meet these needs.
Understanding Your Mentee’s Development    
Explains three stages of development for mentees: middle childhood, early adolescence, and adolescence, as well as how experiencing trauma or challenging circumstances can cause a young person to have difficulty forming healthy relationships.
Developing a Relationship with Your Mentee    
Explores the typical stages of a mentoring relationship and how to deal with challenges that may arise.
Communicating with Your Mentee    
Reviews key communication skills (such as using open-ended questions, reflecting, paraphrasing, and using “I” statements) that can help to strengthen mentoring relationships.
Overcoming Common Challenges    
Summarizes challenges that typically occur in mentoring relationships and prepares mentors to use a six-step problem-solving method when a challenge arises.

Facilitated Courses

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