Why Mentorship?
Jan 24, 2019Many people look at the Stable Moments model and think that it must be the amazingly therapeutic nature of a horse that brings stability to the foster and adopted children in the program. While I agree, the nature of a horse is therapeutic in itself the real science is behind the mentor relationship.
The single most common factor for children who develop resilience is at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive parent, caregiver, or other adult. These relationships provide the personalized responsiveness, scaffolding, and protection that buffer children from developmental disruption. They also build key capacities—such as the ability to plan, monitor, and regulate behavior—that enable children to respond adaptively to adversity and thrive. This combination of supportive relationships, adaptive skill-building, and positive experiences is the foundation of resilience. (Center for Developing Children - Harvard)
At Stable Moments we keep the "I Matter Factor" at the core of everything we do. This is a theory that children shouldn't be asked to learn or develop life skills until we have shown them they matter. Many children, who have survived trauma, carry core feelings of worthlessness. Why would anyone make "good" choices if they didn't believe they mattered? Mentorship is one important way we show youth they matter.
A mentor who can take one hour a week out of their busy schedule to show up, be engaged and provide a stable moment for children in unsettled worlds promotes a feeling of "I Matter!"
These children are used to constant change and interactions with a community that often doesn't understand them. Providing some stability, a positive role model and a trauma-informed approach creates the perfect environment for these children to develop the life skills necessary to make healthy transitions into adulthood.
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