Help girls-at-risk discover their God-given potential by being a positive role model, friend, coach, advisor, self-esteem builder, career counselor, and a personal advocate Jump in as a mentor and give the greatest gift of love! I am looking for other women who feel called to be a part of making a beautiful difference among this next generation of girls. One of the greatest needs is to know that we are loved. We all need to feel deep down in our hearts that someone cares for us, loves us, believes the best in us and is willing to pour into our lives in ways that help us reach our God-given potential. God willing, we'll be starting a mentoring group matching up foster care girls and women who want to invest in their lives through mentoring. Mentoring programs
There are different ways for mentors and mentees to participate. Please note, mentors are not limited to participate in only one program. The overall program design allows for multiple program involvement if this is desired.
A little bit about each program…
1) Girl-friend time out
Pouring into the lives of girls by spending time and sharing everyday life experiences Activity Focus: This time can be as simple as going out for an ice-cream or a shopping trip. It's not really about "what" you are doing; it's simply the fact that you are doing something together. Many of us have special skills, hobbies, sports, and talents that we can share with mentees. We will pair up mentors and mentees on the basis of similar likes and areas of interest. Perhaps you have a love for horses like I do – spending time together taking lessons could be what you do weekly with your mentee, or perhaps you like playing golf – you can teach this sport to your mentee. There are so many life experiences we take for granted that these girls may never experience if we don't step out and invest our time to teach them. That's what this is about.
2) Friends and family home time
Opening up your home and your heart
Many girls in the foster care system and residential group home environments do not have any or few family resources available to them. So when other girls get to go home on the weekends, they have to stay there because they have no where to go and no family to be apart of.
Opening up your home and simply sharing everyday home life with these girls will have a great impact on their life skills development and future success. It is important to give girls an opportunity to connect and relate to a positive extended family like environment.
We would work with these families and go step by step with them in the process of gaining trust from the girl that they will be working with. We would train these families and help them learn what to do if a crisis does happen and how to avoid crisis.
3) Business Mentoring
The Girl Scouts have their cookies – the Agape girls have their Arbonne
Our chosen home-based business is Arbonne Health and Wellness Company
The Arbonne business opportunity is the vehicle we use to help fund activities, group events, and to teach the wonderful lesson of giving back. Each mentor and mentee involved in this business mentoring program will identify a community need and hold Arbonne get-togethers to raise awareness and funding to meet the needs. Reaching out and helping others in this way instills an empowering belief that each girl can truly make a difference in their world. This is so important to our girls' healing and growth process. This business mentoring program will teach the girls some life, marketing & biz skills as they work along side their Mentors doing the Arbonne business. The girls will learn organizational skills, presentation skills, math skills; personal leadership development and what healthy beauty and self respect are all about. This will provide a much needed "leg-up" in life skill development and provide a support network of women to help them succeed. Also, it is my dream to provide hope for our girls' educational future by donating a portion of the profits generated through each of our team's Arbonne business to start college funds for the girls in our mentoring program. I know it sounds crazy - but then you probably know I'm a dreamer –and most importantly-- with God all things are possible :)
Expectations of Mentors
1) Undergo background checks, interviews, and ongoing training regarding mentoring
2) Maintain relationship with mentee for at least 6 months
3) Listen and respect mentee, keeping their personal information confidential
Level of Commitment Expected
1) 1-2 hours a week (or one weekend every 20weeks or monthly for family home time)
2) Flexibility and determination to make the match work, including being available at different times during the week and weekend to accommodate mentee
3) Willing to work with program staff to attend trainings and events
A Horse Adventure overview:
We provide unique experiential learning opportunities to strengthen and develop youth with special needs. A Horse Adventure program is a learning resource for families, schools, Churches, mentoring organizations, and mental health professionals that have discovered Equine Assisted Learning to engage minds and hearts in the learning process, encourage positive behavior, character development and leadership skill development.
Year founded: 2006 by Nanette Foster. This program is an Autumn Run Stables, LLC initiative and is located at 804 North Road, Amsterdam, NY 12010, phone: 384-0925
What we are passionate about
We are passionate about making a difference among today's youth by providing experiential learning opportunities to positively impact the emotional, behavioral and social challenges of children and their families. We are passionate about bringing kids and horses together to create amazing "AHA moments" when learning becomes a wonderful adventure fully experienced. We are passionate about providing a horse environment where kids can be supported, encouraged and have the opportunity to discover and practice life skills that will better equip them for the challenges they face in everyday life. We are passionate about helping kids stir-up their treasures – their God-given spiritual gifts- and to experience how to tap into these gifts in ways that authentically empower them to make a difference in their own lives, and then share this learning in a way that makes a difference in the lives of others around them.
Our approach: The Four-legged Horse
We believe learning that ignites passion and has stick-to-it-tiveness is made up of four components – 1) Academics, 2) Character development, 3)Authentic empowerment, and 4) Fitness – physical health. All of our programs are developed to fulfill each one of these areas.
Programs offered:
• Reading, Writing, and Horse Training! - Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) – School based program that partners with teachers to design and implement Equine Assisted Learning (EAL) curriculum to re-engage children in learning process, promote positive behavior, teach life skills, and achieve the New York State Academic Standards. Primarily designed for middle schools as a behavior intervention program.
• Educational Staff Development Workshops – Workshops for educational staff members focusing on experiential education tools to assist them in developing their teaching gifts to fit an array of learning styles to help reengage children in the learning process.
• Agape-go-gals Mentoring Program – AHA's mentoring is about partnering horse sisters (younger ladies with older ladies) and horses to grow grace-full horse girls of all ages! The barn workshop setting provides a safe atmosphere where consistent, caring relationships can be formed to provide a positive adult role model for at-risk youth.
• Grooming Leaders – Autumn Run Stables' enrichment program to assist in the developing the next generation of leaders. As students learn about horse herd leadership styles, they have the opportunity to experience and "try on" leadership skill sets stretching them beyond comfort zones to discover new possibilities. Leaders who are able to draw from a variety of leadership styles to fit the complexity of needs encountered in a global marketplace as well as applying this knowledge to grow healthy relationships everyday are skill sets that are priceless. Working with horses will teach students how to do this and help position them for success now and in the future.
• Equine Assisted Psychotherapy (EAP) – A mental health provider partners with an Equine Specialist at AHA to develop treatment plans for individuals and families. EAP is a more personal, in-depth therapy session and serves as an alternative to conventional "talk therapy".
Staff
Executive Director/Lead
Equine Coach: Nanette Foster, Equine Assisted Growth And Learning Association (EAGALA) & Certified Horsemanship Association certified
Language Arts Coach TBD
Assistant Equine Coach TBD
