Peer Mentoring Circles
Our Peer Mentoring Circles utilize the One Circle Foundation model and curricula. They aim to counteract social and interpersonal forces that impede healthy adolescent growth and development by promoting an emotionally safe setting and structure within which youth can develop caring relationships, discover and empower their authentic voices, and build leadership and community among peers. Circles are comprised of youth with shared experiences and identities.
A ‘Peer Mentoring Circle’ is a model of structured support for youth designed to foster strengths and promote resiliency through developing authentic connection with peers and adults in their community, build skills, counter trends toward self-doubt, and allow for genuine self-expression through verbal sharing and creative activity.
Each week, a group of participants who identify with others of similar age and development will meet with a facilitator for one hour or two hours. The circle consists of simple rituals and a six-step format to provide predictability, safety, and facilitate healthy communication and development of strengths in target areas, as identified by the individual youth within the group, as a group.
During this time the participants take turns talking and listening to one another about their concerns and interests. They express themselves further through creative or focused activities. Each session, themes are introduced which relate to the participants lives.
