Networking and Community-Building
Community is a vital part of well-being, for both personal and academic success. This is why one of our priorities at Raise The Barr is to create a sense of community for our scholars. Through one-on-one mentoring and larger social events, we strive to create a space where our single-parent families feel valued and supported—and see that they’re not alone.
Mobility Mentoring®
Our scholars meet with our whole-family coordinators to create goals and develop action plans to achieve them. Learn how Mobility Mentoring helped Kiara and her child get into an apartment:
Congratulations to Kiara for working the Mobility Mentoring model to achieve her goals of securing an apartment and completing her first semester at CSU Long Beach!
“Thank you Evelyn, for your continuous support and guidance each month. Thank you Brenda, for sharing all your knowledge and resources that helped benefit Jayden and I. And thank you Lori, for taking the time to listen and speak with each of us, once again proving that
RTB is more than just a scholarship, it’s a community of people that care for us and our well-being.”
-Kiara, CA
Mobility Mentoring in Action
Each month cohort members meet with a RTB Whole Family Coordinator or Student-Parent Representative to set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound) focused on academics and financial empowerment, establish action plans that include plans for all potential barriers, and review their progress. Examples of goals that scholars achieved include saving for a rental deposit, applying to nursing school (She got in!), improving GPA’s, and completing 15 credits by the end of a semester. This monthly meeting also provides an opportunity for the coaches, who are former single-parent students themselves, to share similar lived experiences and ultimate successes. Cohort members have identified this shared experience with their RTB coaches, and the community of other single-parents they meet at monthly workshops and special events, as the most critical to their success in the cohort.
Professional Networking
RTB recognizes the importance of building a social network to help achieve professional goals. According to Forbes magazine, “estimates show between 70% and 80% of all jobs are never posted.” Each year, RTB holds up to 6 special events, 3 in each region. Among the goals of these events is to provide cohort members an opportunity to meet local leaders and accomplished professionals. Prior to the events, cohort members are coached in various in-person network techniques with the goal of expanding their professional network.
Under your Wing - 1:1 Mentorship
Time commitment: 1 - 2 hours each session
This type of mentorship connects scholars to mentors to assist them with their academic, or professional goals in a one-to-one setting. Scholars meet with mentors in their chosen career path to learn more about the day-to-day experience and skills needed, meet with hiring specialists for guidance on resumes and interviewing, and other real-life skills needed for the transition from academics to career.
If you’re interested in sharing experiences from your academics and career for 1-3 hours and engaging with a single-parent student, the 1:1 mentorship is a great fit for you. If interested, contact info@raisethebarr.org
Team Leader - Facilitator
Time commitment: 1- 3 hours a year
This type of mentorship allows mentors to share their expertise whether it be in academics, job applications, personal development, etc. to Raise The Barr Scholars in a group setting.
If you’re interested in volunteering 1-3 hours a year giving 45-90 minute presentations, the Facilitator pathway is a great fit for you. If you’re interested, contact info@raisethebarr.org.
Networking
In addition to one-on-one mentoring, we regularly host in-person events with our scholars, such as development workshops, sporting events, and holiday celebrations, to foster a strong sense of community among our cohort members and their families.
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