Uniting for Youth: MENTOR Community Convenes for Strategic Growth & Collaboration
June 26, 2024
June 11 – 13, 2024 in Atlanta, Georgia
For over a decade, the MENTOR community has convened annually to engage in deep discussions about the mentoring movement and explore innovative practices across our Affiliate network. MENTOR Con 2024, held in Atlanta, Georgia, brought together nearly 100 staff members from MENTOR National and Affiliates, along with Board Members, for three days of programming dedicated to supporting staff and advancing the movement. These gatherings are especially important since they allow us the opportunity to focus on centering the nation’s youth in every piece of work we do.
We kicked off the experience with Affiliate Leader Day, a session filled with honest and transparent conversations about the current and future state of the network, as well as how this translates to the overall work of the movement. Affiliate leaders shared earned-income models that drive organizational sustainability and engaged in reflective conversations about how we can further align to achieve shared goals. Attendees then spent the evening at a welcome reception, which was the first opportunity many had to see fellow guests after having been apart for the last year.
MENTOR Con kicked into full gear on day two, with attendees participating in sessions dedicated to self- and community-care. Dr. Falami, a self-care ritualist based in Atlanta, led a discussion around restoration and taught attendees restorative practices and exercises.
Attendees then broke out into skill-building workshops intended to support their professional development and equip them to better execute their roles upon returning home. Topics included strategic philanthropy, crafting marketing & communications plans, the National Quality Mentoring System, and activating racial equity plans.
The day was punctuated by mealtime breaks and visits to our curated Sensory Room, where a massage chair was located, for whenever attendees needed to step away from the work at hand. MENTOR understands that conferences can be a joyous, but simultaneously overwhelming experience for many, and so we created a safe space for people to retreat whenever they needed to pause and catch their breath. Prioritizing youth well-being must extend to those who work tirelessly to champion quality youth mentoring relationships.
The MENTOR community also reflected on our shared mission, vision, and values and reflected on our identity as a movement.
Attendees brought day two to a close at the Roof at Ponce City Market for the Networking Reception, where they socialized over food, drink, a variety of arcade games, and a rooftop slide that brought out some friendly competition.
Day three saw attendees engaged in discussion around the new and upcoming 5th edition of the Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring and how Affiliates are preparing training and promotional strategies that will lead to an effective launch in January 2025. Attendees also discussed what data and data systems would help inform their future work. The closing session had participants leaning into the “LENS” framework of learning, engaging, networking, and sharing, by breaking out by role and discussing prevalent priorities and challenges in their local communities.
After three productive, intensive, yet fun-filled days, attendees headed back home with a renewed sense of purpose, enhanced knowledge, and fortified connections.
We can’t wait to reconvene next year at MENTOR Con 2025 in Denver, Colorado!
