Mentor Training and Support
Being a successful mentor requires the right tools. To prepare you for your journey as a mentor, Campus Connections provides you with an orientation and training for the first three weeks of the course.
As a Campus Connections mentor you will:
- Learn what it means to be a mentor and how to support others through mentoring
- Gain valuable skills and experience
- Build strong and supportive interpersonal relationships to foster growth
- Build and practice leadership skills
- Make strong connections with surrounding communities and other UCCS students
- Learn more about youth systems including the juvenile justice system and school systems
Mentor Families
In order to create a supportive environment for student mentors and mentees, mentor and mentee pairs will be part of larger Mentor Families. Mentor Families consist of youth in similar developmental stages, their mentors, and a mentor coach. Mentor Families typically consist of four to five mentor-mentee pairs and a Mentor Coach.
Mentor Coaches are advanced mentors who provide additional support and guidance to mentors within their Mentor Family. This allows youth to positively interact with their peers while benefiting from their primary mentor, and their Mentor Coach. By creating a “Family Style” environment for certain activities, youth routinely have access to the same set of caring individuals each week and can begin to form stronger connections.
For more information on what you can expect from a night with Campus Connections, see our Mentor Nightly Schedule.