Big Brothers Big Sisters had the opportunity earlier this year to attend the Prevention Conference sponsored by Pathways Behavioral Services. During the keynote presentation, we learned the 5 main building blocks of well-being and happiness, known as PERMA.
PERMA is an acronym designed by psychologist, Martin Seligman, and can be applied in many different phases in life but especially designed for children as they develop.
Mentors are a vital resource in a child's life to help them achieve PERMA in the following ways:
Positivity: mentors provide opportunities to children to stretch their imagination, face challenges and find solutions.
Engagement - mentors help children discover their strengths and arrange activities around those talents. They provide opportunities to get involved in the community and participate in the activities around them.
Relationships - mentors model what a healthy friendship should resemble with their mentees. They help children form a trusting bond and encourage children to form positive relationships with their peers.
Meaning - in a successful mentoring relationship, children feel they belong and find their purpose. They feel worthy of happiness and strive to succeed.
Achievement - discovering new opportunities with their mentors, children are given the chance to master new skills they may not have otherwise discovered. They set goals and believe the world has limitless opportunity waiting for them.
By giving a few hours of your time, a couple times a month, mentors shape a child's future for the better and empower them to achieve.
No comments:
Post a Comment