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Question:
Hi, I live in Dubai and with a few friends we would like to start a mentoring program. We are keen but have no idea how to go about. At the moment we are confused. Can anyone help us how to begin. We want to start really small with just one or 2 underprivileged youths. Also to do any fundraisers or anything monetary is not allowed without proper permissions.
thank you!
Answer:

            Thanks for writing to us at the Community Tool Box (and please excuse our delay in getting back to you).   To start the kind of mentoring program you envision could be a very promising idea, and the fact that you are motivated to do this work is a big asset.  Of course, it would need to fit within the cultural context of Dubai, something we frankly do not know very much about, as we writing to you from the United States.   
             In general terms, though, in starting a mentoring program you would want to answer such basic questions as  (1) Who would be mentored?, (2) How would the mentees (those being mentored) be chosen?,  (3) How many mentees would there be?,  (4) Who would do the mentoring?,  (5) What would be the specific content of the mentoring program (that is, what would take place in mentoring sessions?)?, (6) How frequently would the sessions be held?, (7) How long would each session be?, (8) How long would the overall program last (for a certain time period, or indefinitely?)?, and (9) How would you evaluate the program, to measure its success?          
            It’s important to realize that these are very natural questions that arise when starting any program such as yours. You can answer them, but it will take some thought to do so. We would recommend that you meet with your friends, systematically discuss these questions, and come up with answers that will work within your own community setting and for you personally.  Based on your answers, you would then form a specific work plan, with action steps, and (when you are satisfied) begin to execute it.  
              We also think you will also benefit from reviewing the different Community Tool Box sections on mentoring, in Chapter 22, as well as those on starting a new intervention, in Chapters 18 and 19.  
            We hope some of these thoughts may be helpful to you.  Thanks again for writing; we wish you every success in your valuable work.

Question Date: أربعاء, 03/21/2018