One of the biggest predictors of success in life for any youth is a connection to a caring adult. PTM strives to surround its youth with many caring adults and provides one-on-one opportunities for a long-term mentoring relationship through the programs below. Several mentoring matches have lasted longer than five years with some even lasting over ten or more years.
Lunchmate Mentoring
A Lunchmate volunteer commits to eating with a child (K-8th) in his or her cafeteria once a week for thirty minutes. This is ideal for inconsistent schedules, because it is during the lunch hour and the day can change from week to week. Mentors are oriented and matched by PTM’s lunchmate mentoring coordinator who will help support these “joy-filled friendships”.
Breakfast and Bible Study
PTM 4th-8th graders have an opportunity to come to PTM on Thursday mornings during the school year from 6:45-7:45am for breakfast followed by Bible Study with a mentor. Volunteer mentors meet with students following breakfast to read and study scripture together. Discussion outlines are provided to mentors before Thursday and typically reenforce PTM’s core beliefs.
SnackChat
PTM 5 -8th graders come to PTM at Community House every Wednesday at 1:35 to spend 35 minutes one on one with a mentor. Volunteers meet with the same middle school student for a fellowship experience by chatting about their week while the student has a snack.
Dinner and Devo
PTM 9th-12th graders have an opportunity to come to PTM on Monday evenings d
uring the school year from 6:00pm-7:30pm for dinner followed by Bible Study with a mentor. There are opportunities for mentors and mentees to enjoy fellowship experiences with one another.
Thrive
Thrive is a program for recent high school graduates. They are matched with a mentor and meet once a week as a small group for life skills development and fellowship.
Spring Break in the Marketplace
PTM offers job shadowing opportunities for 5th-12th grade students involved in PTM’s Calvin House youth program over their Spring Break each year. Our Spring Break in the Marketplace program provides a one-on-one with a volunteer who is willing to spend 2-4 hours showing a student his/her workplace and teaching a little about that career. Providing a student with different experiences gives an idea of what a career could look like and the sacrifices needed to get to that career. On top of the introduction to a career, our hope is that each student also has a positive interaction with a caring adult.
Students involved in PTM go through an application process, as well as a series of seminars on developing job skills. Leading up to the Spring Break week, each student will learn about appropriate work attire, greetings, some interview skills, and certain expectations. During the Spring Break week, each student will have around 3 marketplace mentors and will complete a reflection on each experience.
Contact Nina at nina@prestontaylorministries.org if you are interested in mentoring or if you have questions.