Mobilizing Mentoring Programs with Resources and Guidance

The King County Mentoring Coalition (formerly the King County Mentoring Roundtable) exists to help mentoring programs and staff develop, expand, or increase the effectiveness of mentoring programs that serve diverse populations. The King County Mentoring Coalition strives for real results by ensuring all programs adhere to best practices and outcomes measurements.

Background
The King County Mentoring Coalition began in 1999 as evidence mounted that existing programs needed support and new programs needed answers. As conversations continued a handful of core agencies mobilized around sharing resources, increasing awareness or mentoring, and providing networking for interested parties. Now over thirty programs are involved in the King County Mentoring Coalition.

Sharing Resources, Professional Development
We pool our resources and efforts to benefit our programs, our profession, volunteers and the students they serve. Our united front allowed us to present compelling petitions to the business and governing communities to provide high quality programming and training to our volunteers and clientele.

Benefits and Opportunities of the Mentoring Coalition

• Training
• "Intra-coalition" volunteer referral and recruitment
• Professional development
• Networking
• National Mentoring Month in January, an annual recruitment and recognition event

Participants
This is a working coalition that values results. We are recruiting participants to work with us to "work smarter" in programs that traditionally have few and small resources. We encourage any program in the Seattle/King County area providing mentoring services on a volunteer basis to join us. As a participant, your time, ideas, dedication, and willingness to help make the trainings happen are integral. Participants are committed to organizing events and activities surrounding National Mentoring Month, as well as ongoing efforts. If you are interested in participating in the Mentoring Coalition, please email mentoring@uwkc.org.

Meeting Dates
The Mentoring Coalition (MC) will meet quarterly on the third Wednesday of the month from 9-11AM. The first half hour of every meeting will be dedicated to program updates and current topics. A guest speaker will be scheduled for each meeting to address topics that will be identified every year by the steering committee. An Evite is sent to the MC email list at least one week before the meeting with the meeting location.

• October: Youth Development Stages and Age Appropriate Activities
• January: Mentoring: A Movement (10-11AM, Central Library)
• April: Marketing your Mentoring Program
• July: Program Sustainability

National Mentoring Month (NMM)
The MC will have a pot-luck in December to celebrate our programs and share and disseminate National Mentoring Month materials, information, and other NMM activities for the month of January. This year's gathering will be on Dec. 15th from 11AM-1PM at The 2100 Building in the Transitions Room.

E-Newsletter
The MC email list will receive quarterly newsletters with program updates, calendar of events, and funding alerts. The e-newsletter will be sent by the 15th of November, February, May, and August. If you have info to share or would like to be added to the MC email list, email mentoring@uwkc.org.

Trainings
The MC provides training opportunities to mentoring staff three times a year. Specific dates & times will be determined at a later date.

• Effective Elements of Practice: How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program
• Fundraising for your Mentoring Program
• Effective Elements of Practice: How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program

Steering Committee
The MC is currently recruiting individuals interested in serving on the Mentoring Coalition Steering Committee. The committee is responsible for the planning of all MC meetings, trainings, and events. The Steering Committee meets through conference calls and meeting on a "by need" basis every other month. The schedule is to be determined. Please email mentoring@uwkc.org if you are interested.