TURNER – Youth Mentors Inc. continues to move forward, developing the youth-run mentoring program for youth with disabilities in Androscoggin, Franklin and Oxford counties.

This summer’s activities began with an overnight retreat at Rockcraft Lodge, part of the United Church of Christ Retreat Center on Sebago Lake. During the two-day retreat, the core anchor group expanded from 10 youth anchors and nine adult anchors to 26 and 16.

Through interactive trainings on communication skills, values and tools on how to be a mentor, the anchors increased their understanding of what it means to be a mentor.

At the completion of the first day, the youth and adults sat around a campfire and talked about their experiences.

Along with personal experiences, the youth walked away with two manuals, a working manual to keep their training, meeting and important Youth Mentors Inc. paperwork organized in and a policy and procedure manual.

As a result of the retreat, five youth and two adults formed a subcommittee to continue to develop the policies and procedures that will govern the group.

In July, mentors attended John Jenkins’ Inspired 2B GREAT training. There will be two additional training. The August training follows the Real Game curriculum, learning about careers and setting realistic goals for housing and employment. Tri-County Mental Health will provide the September training, focusing on the safety issues in mentoring. All trainings are held at RM-Transition Inc. on Route 4.

Youth Mentors is funded by the Maine Transition Network and by the Transition Mentoring Program for Maine Youth grant/contract supported by the Office of Disability Employment Policy of the U. S. Department of Labor.

For more information, call Michelle Williams or Eleanor Paine at Andrews Council on Transition at 225-5005 or e-mail Michelle at acotmw@megalink.net.