Ohio centre launches online training to mentors

The Mentoring Centre of Central Ohio is rolling out online education to mentors of young people facing adult issues.

Across nine different training programmes, participating volunteers and professionals can receive the e-learning from their home computers and incorporate it into their everyday routines, This Week Community News reports.

Key areas of study include Cultural Dynamics - seeking to address difference in education, race and economics - and Making of a Mentor, which discusses how to build relationships with youngsters.

Individuals can also learn how to mentor adolescents through the training offered on motivation and supporting positive behaviour, as well as Anger Management and replacing hot thoughts with cool thoughts.

Kimeta Dover, assistant vice-president at the establishment, said the scheme places the Mentoring Centre among a select group of organisations that provide in-depth, detailed digital learning on these topics.

She added: "The goal is to help mentors and professionals successfully guide and support mentees - children and youth - who face adversity in their daily lives."

Founded in 2000, the centre provides face-to-face education 150 times a year for helpers from 40 agencies that work with young people across central Ohio and it runs 50 other programmes throughout the state.

With the new online learning, they will receive instruction on successful site-based mentoring and life skills training, in order to enhance the experience they are giving to the young people they serve.

Marilyn Pritchett, executive director of the organisation, stated the idea for the e-learning began with the notion that people need more training as children encounter more adult life problems.

"This is a way to give access in the 24/7, on-demand way that people are used to having. We're trying to go with the wave of the future," she was quoted as saying.

As with in-person trainees, those who take part in the online courses will be required to take a test at the end of the teaching to make sure they got the most out of it.