Two Summer Orientations Available in July and August
ROCHESTER, N.Y., Tuesday, June 15, 2010 - The American Red Cross and Big Brothers Big Sisters are looking to recruit 30 mentors to be matched with youth in grades 9-12 in its Next Generation Leaders Program (NGLP). Two mentor recruitment orientation sessions are scheduled for Tuesday, July 27 and Thursday, August 12 from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Greater Rochester Red Cross, 50 Prince St. Orientation sessions are open to the public and refreshments will be served.
The partnership seeks mentors who will be matched with youth for at least one year in one to one relationships beginning in October. The matches will engage in a both group activities and activities on their own. The mentor will guide their mentee as they engage in the first seven weeks of the youth leadership development program at the Red Cross. Through NGLP students will learn leadership development skills, service learning through volunteer projects, career exploration and planning through college field trips, and much more.
The collaboration of the Greater Rochester Red Cross and Big Brothers Big Sisters creates an opportunity for the youth involved in the leadership program to be supported by a caring adult. That relationship can create a lifelong impact in their lives. In NGLP youth are matched with African American, Hispanic & other mentors who will promote trust, leadership development, academic enrichment, civic engagement and empowerment to pursue higher education.
“Thirty years ago the Greater Rochester Red Cross developed Hispanic and Black Youth Leadership Development Programs to help students become actively engaged in the improvement of their futures, their neighborhoods, and their communities,” said Liz Cinquino, Assistant Director of Youth Leadership Development & Community Outreach at the Greater Rochester Red Cross. “Since then, more than 500 students have graduated from the Next Generation Leaders Program and grown into successful business professionals. Many are entrepreneurs and have stayed in Rochester. We’re excited to expand on this and partner with Big Brothers Big Sisters, the oldest, largest and most effective youth mentoring organization in the United States.”
“Big Brothers Big Sisters is proud to partner with American Red Cross to enrich the overall experience of the young adults involved in the Next Generation Leaders Program,” said Timothy A. Gleason, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester. “When we can connect youth in our community with caring, compassionate adult mentors who can then, together, create a pathway to success in school, career and family life, great things can happen. This program is a vital part of that connection for many youth in our community.”
Remember the person in your life who made that difference for you? A teacher, neighbor, boss or coach? That person cared what happened to you- that simple. They listened, supported and modeled behaviors you took on as your own. “More than likely, if you were fortunate enough to have such a person in your life, you would say that he or she contributed to your success as an adult.” Cinquino says.
If you have the desire to make a difference in a child’s life and enjoy and respect children, you are encouraged to attend one of the upcoming orientation sessions this summer and become a mentor in the Next Generation Leaders Program.
Contact the Next Generation Leaders Program at 585-241-4261 for more information or visit www.RochesterRedCross.org.
For interviews on the Next Generation Leaders Program, contact Nadine Krimow at the Greater Rochester Red Cross, 585-241-4419 or nadinek@grcarc.org.
About the American Red Cross
The American Red Cross shelters, feeds and counsels victims of disasters; provides nearly half of the nation’s blood supply; teaches lifesaving skills; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a charitable organization — not a government agency — and depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its humanitarian mission. For more information, please visit www.RochesterRedCross.org or contact us at 585-241-4400
About Big Brothers Big Sisters
Founded in 1978, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Rochester is an affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America; the largest youth mentoring organization in the United States. Our model of professionally supported one-to-one relationships between young people and their Big Brothers and Big Sisters has shown to have measurable, positive impact. In 2009, BBBS of Greater Rochester provided services to more than 600 youth through community-based and school based mentoring programs. For more information, please visit www.beabig.com or contact us at 585-442-2250.
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