YOUTH MASTERMIND MENTORSHIP
Digital Bridges Mastermind Mentorship
Digital Bridges Mastermind Mentorship teaches young adults safe, smart strategies to use technology-based resources to create a better life and future using project-based learning, group support, and individualized holistic learning to foster a safe, non-judgmental community and individual success.
What is a Mastermind Group?
A mastermind group is a peer-to-peer mentoring concept used to help members solve their problems with input and advice from the other group members. The concept was coined in 1925 by author Napoleon Hill in his book The Law of Success, and described in more detail in his 1937 book, Think and Grow Rich.
Digital Bridges Mastermind Mentorship program combines the benefits of this group learning technique with the individualized learning and support of a mentorship program. The goal of this program is to engage young adults who have a desire to use technology as an aid to learning and goal attainment. We create a safe, nonjudgmental community of like-minded, goal-oriented individuals who support each other in the creative use of technology to solve problems and grow.
Through a project-based curriculum, this program is designed to help participants create an individualized assessment and learning plan aiming to meet basic needs and begin an active path to further education or growth. The Digital Bridges Mastermind Mentorship program teaches participants safe, smart strategies to use technology-based resources to create a better life and future.
Learning Components
Group:
Participants will come together weekly to learn and support one another. Their individual project is meant to foster positive relationships and a safe, non-judgmental community group.
Individualized Learning:
Each participant will create a project of their choosing and will grow using technology as a tool to complete or advance their project. Participants will receive 1-1 mentoring to help create and execute their projects and for general support. Participants can opt to work together on projects with like-minded peers.
Examples of Project Ideas:
- Career Prep: Create a career plan
- Job Shadow: Identify and pursue opportunities
- Create a Facebook or YouTube public group or profile
- Art of choice- learn about art, use art in technology. Create a portfolio
- Learn about Entrepreneurialism and create a business plan
- Education plan: Trade or Higher Education. Tie education to a career path.
- Create and Lead a Community program such as clean up the neighborhood or engage other neighbors in positive change.
Weekly Lesson Curriculum:
Participants will come together weekly to engage in a technology-based lesson, and receive support for their individualized projects.
Weekly group meetings will take the following format:
Weekly Meeting
- Meet, mingle, converse.
- Circle up for “Heart Check” Round robin share.
- Each participant takes approximately 1 minute to tell the group how they are doing on a scale of 1-10 and identify some “wins” from the previous week.
- Spotlight Participants: Two individual participants will have 15 minutes to discuss any challenges they are facing and receive support from the group.
- Lesson: Topic of the week, discussion of the lesson and how to apply it to individual projects.
- Suggested Topics:
- Intro to the program
- Basic Needs Assessment
- Interests: Using technology to explore interests and learn.
- Skills and Aptitudes: What are you good at?
- Using digital tools to find real resources.
- How to define your mission/goals.
- Safe solutions online: protect yourself and your project.
- Real IT- how tech works and how it can impact you.
- Communicating Online- Safe, Effective Communication Techniques.
- Finding Reliable Resources Online.
- Networking Online- Safely.
- Suggested Topics:
Weekly "Office Hours" Work Time and Individual Check-in: (optional, open session)
- Program leaders will be present to discuss the individual project or lesson for the week. This meeting time is meant to enrich and further support participants in their projects and learning. This provides participants a second, casual, opportunity to connect and support each other and work on projects together, further fostering community building.
Participants will also have a Facebook group or other social media based group where they can discuss their projects. A digital system will be used to track project goal setting and attainment.
Outcomes:
By participating, young adults will learn critical thinking skills, gain assistance in locating resources and increase self-confidence. On a larger scale, we are addressing the need for digital literacy skills as a means of student growth, to reduce poverty, increase equitable education and employment opportunities, and build healthy communities.
At the end of the program participants will have a final project portfolio which will contain:
- Basic needs assessment and plan
- Aptitudes, interests and skill level assessments
- Description and benchmarks of the individual project
- Final Project Outcome/Result
- Plan for future learning/growth
Digital Bridges Pittsburgh will provide each participant:
- Letter of recommendation from Digital Bridges Pittsburgh
- Certificate of Completion of the Program
Soft Skills:
- Critical Thinking
- Self-Awareness: Interests and Aptitudes
- Increased communication and socialization skills
- Increased Self-Esteem
- Leadership skills
- Goal setting and attainment skills
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