55 woman this month | January 2012 | What it Means Mentoring is essential for orphans and singleparent children, who are impressionable and always on the lookout for a role model. They seek someone they can trust, look up to and build a relationship with, but may be held back by family problems, emotional problems and behavioural issues. At present, eight of Bahrain’s top schools affiliated with International Baccalaureate (IB) foundation have a Community, Action and Service (CAS) programme that’s compulsory for all Grade 11 and 12 students. Under this programme, students must complete a minimum of 150 hours of Community, Action and Service over the two-year course, in order to graduate in Grade 12. The WYS pilot programme will be launched in the beginning of the academic year 2012 at a private school that currently runs an IB programme. Students who want to be mentors will be shortlisted through an application and interview process, depending on their academic performance, personality, behavioural traits and other interests. The ten children will be matched with their mentors, who will spend around four hours every week with them, participating in various group activities and community outings. Mentors will engage children in creative pursuits such as dabbling in ceramics, or swimming, tennis and Karate classes. Through tie-ups with various foreign embassies, WYS children will be introduced to multiculturalism and will get to attend cultural events at the Italian, British and Pakistani embassies. Environmental activities will include tree plantation and visits to the Al Areen Wildlife Sanctuary with mentors. School-based mentoring is one the fastest growing forms of mentoring in the US today. The Big Brother Big Sister programme has been a huge inspiration for Hala, although she maintains that Wish You Service is different. The WYS programme is all about handholding and support without the involvement of any donations, unlike the Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) initiative, where volunteers give away books, toys and cash to help the children in need. “Unlike in the BBBS, where the children are left totally under the care of their big brother/ sister, we’d like to have some boundaries in the way children bond with their mentors. A counsellor will remain present through all group activities, supervising and evaluating the progress of the child as well as the performance of the mentor,” says Hala. The number for the pilot project has been limited to ten in order to preserve the intimacy of the programme. At the end of six months, the mentors will be evaluated on their performance based on various criteria and the top performers will be recognised in a final ceremony. “At the completion of the pilot programme, we aim to expand the project to include all public and private schools and maybe even university students. In future years, we hope to launch another mentorship programme for special needs children,” she adds. Handholding in Academics For children who need help in academics, their matched mentors will take them through a study skills programme devised by Sylvan Learning. The programme is designed to show children the best methods and techniques for test taking, time management and cultivating good study habits. “Mentors will be picked depending on their academic level and related skills. Children who are weak in some areas need to be paired with mentors who’re strong in those areas — another reason why matching is so important,” says Hala. Under the guidance of Sylvan Learning, mentors will train children in skills such as organisation and time management, which includes organising their papers, planning studies and setting goals. Children will be taught to make the most of the classroom experience with the best methods of listening, taking notes, following directions and managing and presenting information. Mentors will teach their protégés how to effectively use notes as part of the studying process whilst improving their textbook and research skills and specific techniques for studying. For those who shun examinations, mentors will show them how to best tackle multiple choice and essay tests while giving them tips on conquering test anxiety. In addition to these areas, the academic programme will offer children tutoring in specific subjects where they are in need of further academic tutoring, including maths, science, English, Arabic and social studies. Hala points out that the project may not be an easy way out for the mentor students, but it’s definitely a rewarding proposition. “It needs tremendous motivation to get so involved with the welfare of a total stranger. But at the end of the process, personal fulfilment is guaranteed. Plus, there’s always the incentive to get your community hours done!”
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