Connect | Focus | Grow – Region 1 (virtual)

The Connect | Focus | Grow training was developed as part of the National Mentoring Project, a pilot project  managed by MENTOR in partnership with the America’s Promise Alliance / Center for Promise and with support from the Schultz Family Foundation. The National Mentoring Project aims to expand the web of quality relationship supports and social capital that younger employees/mentees/interns need to develop the skills necessary to successfully navigate the workplace including securing and sustaining employment. Underlying this training is MENTOR’s guiding vision, which is that all younger employees, mentees, and interns have access to a web of support from  caring adults and can form empowering relationships that:

• Promote the pursuit of the younger employees/mentees/intern’s passions, skills and interests
• Enable younger employees/mentees/interns access to and exploration of spaces where these can be pursued
• Help younger employees/mentees/interns overcome personal and/or institutional obstacles

This vision is underpinned by the approach MENTOR uses to help adults and younger employees form relationships, which is grounded in positive development and youth-centrism. This approach:

• Recognizes that young people are assets and experts about themselves and their communities
• Supports young people in identifying and building strengths
• Brings young people and adults together to work as equal partners as appropriate
• Builds young people’s connections to their own identity, culture and community helping them to see  their own social capital and supporting the extension of social capital through mentoring
• Engages young people as leaders on issues that matter to them

Date: Tuesday, April 23rd

Time: 10:00pm – 11:30pm

Register to attend!

Meet Your Facilitator:

Dwayne Bennett has been with MENTOR Virginia for over a decade, first as a mentor, and now as Lead Trainer and a Technical Assistance Consultant. During this time, Dwayne has personally trained over 4,000 mentors and mentees. Of the over 150 programs that Dwayne has worked with, most recently Dwayne has trained or provided technical assistance to Capital One, Armstrong Leadership Program, VCU’s African American Alumni Council, Micah Association (Richmond Hill), VCU Health Services, Brunswick County High School, Jumpstart Mentoring, Hampton University, and Richmond Public Schools. Dwayne specializes in trauma-informed care, the growth mindset, incorporating a DEI lens to mentoring, critical mentoring, school-based mentoring, leadership development, communication, goal setting, connecting principles, and others. Further, Dwayne has been a featured speaker and panelist for various organizations and educational institutions using his expertise to discuss best practices and building of mentoring programs both domestically and around the globe. Dwayne is the author of two books: From Worry to Winning: The 7 Winning Ways to Your Personal Success and The 7 Winning Ways to College Success: From High School to College.

Hear from Tamice about the Connect | Focus | Grow curriculum