Working with Students (Volunteers)

Student Goals and Getting Acquainted

Share information about yourself with your students; specifically your educational and employment background. Build a relationship of trust and ensure that they understand you care about their futures. Then ask a few open-ended questions, such as:

• What courses interest you?
• Which clubs or organizations do you belong to? What is your role within them?
• Do you participate in extracurricular activities or sports?
• What kinds of part-time jobs have you had?
• How have you volunteered in your community?
• What types of career paths interest you?
• What kind of education beyond high school are you considering?
• How do you think an ASPIRE mentor can be a help to you?

Mandatory Reporting

All volunteers working with Oregon youth are considered mandatory reporters; cases of suspected child abuse and neglect must be reported. This DHS guide can help explain the meaning of mandatory reporting.

• Call 1-855-503-SAFE (7233). This is the toll-free number used to report abuse or neglect of any child or adult to the Oregon Department of Human Services.
• For questions about mandatory reporting visit Oregon’s Department of Human Services' website.

Confidentiality

Mentors, upon signing the Volunteer Agreement, agree to keep all student information private and confidential. This includes:

• Financial information
• College applications
• Scholarship applications
• Transcripts
• Personal information

Meeting with Students

• Mentors and students must meet on site during operating hours, in the presence of paid staff.
• Mentors may not transport students in personal vehicles.
• Mentors should avoid conflicts of interest, e.g., promoting personal religious or political beliefs, selling to students, etc.

Site Safety Procedures

Know the site's emergency and safety procedures.

• Bell Schedule
• Lockdown/Lockout procedures
• First aid
• Infection control
• Fire extinguisher
• Weapons policy
• School Closures

Tips for Student Success

• Take Challenging Courses: Encourage students to take as challenging a course load as possible. Many colleges and universities consider the rigor of courses taken in high school to be as important as GPA, particularly in math and science.
• Be aware, the minimum admissions requirements for individual colleges may not match the minimum requirements for high school graduation in Oregon. Also, seniors should not "check out" academically just because they have completed graduation requirements. Colleges often look at final transcripts to confirm that the student has stayed mentally and academically engaged for the entire senior year.
• Participate in School Activities and Community Service: Encourage students to be involved in extra-curricular and volunteer opportunities. Before college and scholarship application reviewers make their decisions they look at the variety of students' activities. Scholarship donors often choose to honor students who show potential for being involved in their communities. Point out the advantages of participating in a variety of activities. Also encourage students to develop depth within their activities or combine activities that coincide with their career interests.
• If you are working with younger students make sure they keep an accurate record of all their activities, accomplishments and work for pay in an updated résumé or activities chart.
• Do Well in School: Encourage students to do their very best in school. This is obvious but it is the biggest factor for preparation for college and admission. Be a cheerleader and an advocate for your students' academic success.
• Attend Financial Aid Nights & Other Event: Encourage students to take advantage of any school sponsored field trips to college campuses and to attend school financial aid events.

Listening Tips for Mentors

Listening is a critical communication skill for ASPIRE volunteers. A general rule is to talk about one-third of the time and listen the other two-thirds. The following are guidelines for effective listening skills:

• Use your body posture to indicate you are listening actively. Young people are quick to pick up nonverbal messages so sit in a relaxed position. Don't fold arms across your chest, frown, stare, turn away or tap feet or fingers.
• Make eye contact as an effective nonverbal means of showing that attention is focused on the student. Be aware to whether eye contact is making the student feel uncomfortable. In some cultures it is rude to make direct eye contact with an adult. A young person from such a culture may not return eye contact, but will look past the mentor, at the floor, or shift their gaze around the room.
• Nod and Say: "uh-huh", or "I see", or "really"? These minimal responses demonstrate active listening and encourage the student to continue without inhibiting their talking.
• Do not interrupt and do not plan what to say next while the student is talking. Concentrate on what the student is saying.
• Encourage the student to continue by asking clarifying questions, such as: "can you tell me more about that?"
• Listen for feelings as well as facts. Watch for nonverbal clues and body language.
• Reflect back to the student by paraphrasing what they have said and the feeling behind it, in order to ensure understanding of the students' thoughts and emotions.

Unique Situations and Populations

Summer Melt: Losing Seniors After Graduation

Underserved Students

Students with Disabilities

Undocumented & DACA Students

Students in Foster Care

Glossary of Terms

Glossary of Terms

Podcasts

Using Cooperative Language When Mentoring Teens in ASPIRE- (Transcript)

Effective Mentoring- (Transcript)

Ways to Stay Up-to Date

Ways to Stay Up-to Date