Mentoring
One-On-One
Is there anything better than knowing that there is someone dedicated to your wellbeing and that you have the support of a caring and trusted friend?
Imagine Me’s one-on-one mentors commit to the mentoring relationship for at least three years with mentors following the girls as they progress from middle school to high school and beyond. One-on-one communication (i.e. phone, email or in-person) between mentor and mentee occurs on a weekly basis. In-person contact is to occur on no less than a monthly basis.
Our mentors are carefully chosen for their ability to connect in a caring and nonjudgmental manner. All mentors complete two interviews, formal training and undergo a criminal background check. Mentors participate in support groups on a quarterly basis to strengthen and increase longevity of the mentor-mentee relationship.
Group & Peer Mentoring
With the group and peer mentoring format, girls participate as a group on a regular basis (i.e. weekly, biweekly or monthly) with select female group mentors that facilitate group sessions and activities at select program sites (school, church, community, detention center).
Relationships and bonds are created through the consistent positive interactions in a group setting. The peer influence is enhanced in an environment that fosters positive camaraderie which proves to be contagious and impactful for the individual girl and the group as a whole.
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a one-on-one/group mentor,
Field Trips & Group Outings
Program participants are encouraged to see the world beyond their community. Imagine Me promotes and sponsors cultural, educational, recreational, community service and outreach and college and career exploratory field trips and group outings in order to afford the girls a diverse perspective on the world in which they live.
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Program Areas
Middle School
Our middle school programming occurs at Baltimore City Public school sites two to four times a week for either after-school or in-school programming. Programming takes place in the “Imagine Me” room, a dedicated space designed to be a safe haven not resembling a classroom. The objective is for girls to feel comfortable to grow and learn and have the freedom to express themselves without fear of judgement or harm. It is within the Imagine Me room girls are heard, shown empathy, compassion and thereby transformed.
Workshops/Seminars & Symposiums
Program participants engage in interactive activities led by trained facilitators. All activities, lessons, group sessions, workshops and seminars are targeted and designed for the specific grade level of participant. Several topic areas include but are not limited to:
| Healthy Self- Esteem | Substance Abuse Prevention |
| Healthy Conflict Resolution | Fitness and Nutrition |
| Academic Achievement | Feminine Hygiene/Biological Aspects of Being a Female |
| College & Career Exploration | Creative Arts |
| Abstinence Education | Financial Literacy |
| Rebounding from Past Mistakes | Relationship Building (Establishing Friendships and Keeping Them, What Does it Mean to be a Friend?, Mother and Daughter Relationships, Father and Daughter Relationships, One Parent Homes, Multicultural Relationships) |
High School – The Imagine Me Leading Academy!
In 2018, Imagine Me implemented the Imagine Me Leading Academy (IMLA) specifically tailored for high school preparation and youth leadership development to engage girls beginning in the 8th grade.
IMLA consists of tutoring, high school success, leadership and college and career exploration. It also includes preparatory workshops to increase the chances of academic and social success as girls enter the 9th grade and progress through high school and enter the college/career season of their lives.
Programming is structured to be delivered through workshops, seminars, field trips, etc. on a weekly/bi-weekly/monthly basis depending upon the grade of the participant.
The IMLA is administered in partnership and collaboration with Scholars MasterPlan, Baltimore City Public Schools, TouchPoint Baltimore, Christian Liberty Church and other sought out partnerships, including other youth development organizations and area high schools.
The IMLA also hosts the following group sessions –
- No Judgment Zone – An all-girls group specifically geared toward facing and tackling the hard issues. This group is conducted in the church/community setting with a Biblical and culturally relevant backdrop in a nonjudgmental environment. The room is set up visually with zones creating a safe environment to unload.
- Toastmaster International Youth Development Program
Department of Juvenile Services
Life happens for young people and adults and can put you in places you never wanted to visit, let alone reside, whether temporarily or permanently. Our hope at Imagine Me is that young people would know that their identity does not have to be in the mistakes that they’ve made and there are two wonderful gifts called Grace and Mercy!
Imagine Me previously held weekly sessions through the Department of Juvenile Services facilities throughout the State of Maryland. The population of girls served are from across the State of Maryland. Girls participated as a group on a weekly basis on Fridays for 60 minutes, with select female group mentors/facilitators that facilitated group sessions, lessons and activities.
Our primary goal was to reduce recidivism by instilling healthy and impactful character-building sessions on a 90-day cycle. Whether a girl participated for 1 day or the entire 90-day cycle, she received life tools and knowledge that would positively influence her future and prevent her from returning to the detention center.
Our Impact
If girls’ lives are not being transformed and their futures enhanced…then what’s the point? Imagine Me is intentional in its efforts for girls to Embrace a ‘Life of Promise’…the life that God intended for them.
We seek to improve our programming year over year and welcome wisdom and constructive criticism. As such, we have several measures in place to ensure that all Imagine Me programming is effective, engaging and culturally relevant and applicable to our participants.
In year over year surveys (2007-2018), 100% of Imagine Me survey participants say they feel safe in the Imagine Me room and would like to attend more than once a week.
Why is this statistic important? Because it is important for youth, specifically in West Baltimore and throughout Baltimore City to feel safe. When that safety net exists, it sets an atmosphere where no matter what they say or do, you can positively guide them and impact their future, because they TRUST you!
Click here to view the Imagine Me Memorable Quotes “2007 – 2019”
