Want to #BCYMPBeOne for a K-12 grade child in Brookings County? Come to our New Mentor Training at GracePoint Wesleyan on Thursday, October 17 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. to apply and (mostly) complete training in evening!
“The face-to-face training is a quick, fun way to get ready to start making a difference for one of the children on our waiting list,” said Darla Biel, BCYMP Executive Director. Self-paced training is also available online, but, as Biel said, “Training with a cohort allows Mentors to meet each other and to have a built-in community of support.” To RSVP, complete this brief survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/WX237HR
The Thursday training is open to anyone who wants to become trained as a BCYMP Mentor. Mentors must be 18+ years old, complete background check and training, access to reliable transportation, willingness to volunteer 1 hour a week for 1 year minimum with their Mentee. Current BCYMP Mentors will join the group at 7 p.m. for pizza and ACES training.
Biel notes that although all volunteers are needed and important, BCYMP especially has a need for more male mentors and for community member mentors. “We love the 55% of BCYMP Mentors who are college students,” Biel said, “but we also have children waiting who require mentors with more life experiences.”
The schedule of events at GracePoint Wesleyan, 1420 Orchard Drive is as follows:
5:15: Registration
5:30: New Mentor Training begins
6 :45 PIZZA served (Thanks to Dominos! <3)
7:00 Current BCYMP Mentors arrive for the ACES In-Service (Details below)
7:30: Nikki Eining, CSW-PIP, MSW, QMHP and BCYMP Board Member, will introduce trainees and current BCYMP Mentors to the Adverse Childhood Experiences Study and discuss how knowledge about the long-term impacts of childhood trauma can be beneficial for mentors.
8:30: Door prizes and Conclusion
Following the face-to-face training, New BCYMP Mentors will also need to complete the South Dakota Mandatory Reporter Training and undergo a background check before being matched with a Mentee.
For more information, please email or call the BCYMP Office.