Why this Mentorship Program is Important:
While we have continued to be the example of how trauma-informed mentoring is delivered to our youth, there are still so many more levels of support to meet the needs of our youth, specifically the BIPOC LGBTQ+ community. Not only do some of our youths identify as BIPOC LGBTQ+. With that in mind, BTSNE wants to make a concentrated effort toward providing programming that is specific to the BIPOC LGBTQ+community, such as education, mentorship, and helpful resources.
Additionally, as stated by the National Mentorship Resource Center (NMRC), ?Mentoring relationships have the potential to serve an important role for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, intersex, and gender nonconforming (LGBTQI-GNC) youth, but research suggests this population is currently underserved by the mentoring field.?
For this reason, BTSNE felt it was important to put resources into mentorship for members of our BIPOC LGBTQ+ community.
Goals of Programing
To foster mentoring relationships between wrestlers and faculty/staff/trainees that will offer support, guidance, and resources to BIPOC LGBTQ+ Wrestlers
To provide support for students who are in the process of coming out, or who feel they are currently to come out in their personal, academic, or professional lives
To expose students to the diverse professional lives and opportunities of queer members of the BTSNE community
To provide helpful resources to students as they explore issues related to professional development
To help connect students to the larger BIPOC LGBTQ+ Wrestling Community, both at BTSNE and the Greater Boston Area
To provide mentors an opportunity to help students develop outside of the classroom and other formal BTSNE Events
Learning Outcomes:
Develop a stronger sense of their sexual identity, gender identity, and/or gender expression.
Make substantial progress on their academic goals
Accomplish at least two personal goals while in the program
Be able to identify at least two NEW LGBTQ+ supportive people or resources at in Boston by the end of the academic year
Leveraging mentoring to nurture the 4Cs?conversation, connection, community, and culture?can create an increased sense of belonging in employees, thus building social capital.