Mentoring Services

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100 Black Men of Syracuse Inc. has its primary focus centered on mentoring young men and women of the Central New York community. Through our mentoring programs, we follow up on our commitment to the physical, intellectual and spiritual well being of our mentees. With the resources that support our mentoring services, we can create an environment critical to the full development of our youth.

STEP 1 Poster

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In order to maximize our manpower and provide exposure to as many youth as possible, the 100 uses a group mentoring technique rather than one-to-one matching of mentee to mentor.

We have developed a curriculum of life skills topics, such as; decision-making, ethics, leadership, personal health, relationships, setting goals, culture & diversity, response to authority and many others, which are used as the basis of interaction and discussion in our mentoring sessions. Each group, however, is free to amend or revise its own innovative approach as needed to teach awareness and promote skills associated with a healthy and positive self-identity.

Parents:

One Minute with a 100 Mentee

The success stories in our mentoring programs – collectively known as STEP 1 for Strength, Tenacity, Endurance and Pride – include high school graduates now enrolled in college, and young men still in middle and high school. One of them, Nazere Jones, is a senior at Thomas J. Corcoran High School in Syracuse. A longtime mentee, Nazere recalls his experience and relationship with the 100’s mentors in this 1-minute video.

Where We Mentor

Our STEP 1 group mentoring program is accessible to all youth in Central New York. Currently, our group sessions serve young men ages 10- to 18-years-old. We are in the process of establishing groups for young ladies. However, our mentoring programs do include field trips and activities that are open to both males and females.

In addition to group mentoring sessions, our mentees (along with our members and volunteers) participate in various community activities, local sporting events and trips to museums, movies, cultural/science festivals and others. We provide access to positive role models and learning experiences that go beyond the routine and familiar. The bottom line is: our mentoring services are designed to help our youth navigate the pathway to success.