Shanghai Project: Training of Excellent Adolescent Mentors (TEAM)
Objectives:
- Enhance youth workers’ self esteem and happiness
- Improve youth workers’ appreciation of their profession
- Strengthen youth workers’ skills of serving youth
Collaborative Partners:
The Youth Foundation of Hong Kong
Program Content:
- Between November 2010 and January 2011 was the commencement period of TEAM. In November 2010 when recruitment of participants was begun, more than 80 volunteers, largely from primary and secondary schools, and frontline youth work organizations, were willing to participate. From December 2010 to January 2011, screening of participants was conducted and 35 participants with great youth serving passion and mission, and fundamental knowledge of counseling. At the same time, meetings with core lecturers were hosted for program design so that the content could be continuously improved.
- Between March 2011 and December 2011, the training program was conducted. For the courses in the fiscal year of 2011, development was the main topic supplemented with professional skills training. Professional skills training included nine thematic activities, four personal development workshops, one 2-day and 2-night camp of “Journey of Understanding” with topics related to team building, life story sharing of TTT members, empathy skill, intergenerational poverty tackling, relationship of attachment, and a few others. Personal development courses included four thematic development courses in the topics of connection in personal relationship, understanding of own strengths and weaknesses, personal development in helping oneself and others, and personal values and dreams.
- March 12, 2012 would mark the stage of advancement for TEAM. The objective of this stage was enriching the youth workers. Three workshops and one 3-day camp have been arranged. The topics of workshops are related to activity leading, life education, and youth’s career planning.