Mentoring Matters: Be the Difference for Students with Disabilities

A new year often brings a surge of motivation or a renewed sense of intentionality. Do you have a New Years Resolution this year? January is National Mentoring Month and I hope it will serve as the perfect inspiration for a New Years resolution to get involved with the youth in our community as a Mentor for Easter Seals Greater Houston's Ready to Achieve Mentoring Program.

Think back to your first job application, your first interview, or your first disagreement with a coworker. If you were anything like me, you might have been fearful or nervous. You might have felt worried that you didn’t have any idea what you were doing. We have all been there. Some of us are lucky to have a support system to help us navigate these rights of passages, while others are working hard to figure it out on their own. You could be that support for a student experiencing the workforce for the first time. Our Mentors help students get ready for that first big interview - even if it’s just practicing for our annual Mock Interview Day. They are a source of encouragement to keep pushing or a person to text about opinions on a first day of work ensemble. At then end of the day, our Mentors are simply there for our students. They show up and have meaningful conversations and fun chats. They come to field trips or talk students through big goals like getting a Driver’s License. Do you remember looking at your first paycheck stub? CONFUSING. Mentors can help with that, too.

Brittany was a mentor for us last year and was able to give students her expertise during interview practice. She provided feedback and boosted their confidence by discussing all the strengths they showed during a 10-minute interview. She shared her own tips and tricks and our students talked about how comfortable they felt interviewing after some practice with her. She was also able to accompany us on a field trip to HP where we learned about the latest technology and different careers. She helped guide students as they built small circuits during a STEM activity and took the time to connect with them over shared interests, like gaming. She became a welcome part of our group and my students were always excited to hear when she was joining us.

The ways a Mentor can help a student are endless, but their presence is the most impactful effect. We have high schools all over the Greater Houston area filled with students ready to meet their mentors. If you are interested in becoming a mentor with Easter Seals, be sure to check out our RAMP page and reach out to Yvonne Kelly at YKelly@eastersealshouston.org.

-Janelle Godoy, Transition Coordinator, Employment & Transition, Easter Seals Greater Houston

Easter Seals' Employment & Transition Services are made possible by our generous supporters: The Alcon Foundation, Inc., Baker Hughes Foundation, Blue Cross/Blue Shield Foundation, CareSource Bayou Health, The Coca-Cola Foundation, The George Foundation, IBM, Institute for Educational Leadership, Inc., The Robert and Janice McNair Foundation, The Oriska Foundation, United Way of Greater Houston and Whataburger. Thank you!