Mentors Training – Leading Change
Leading Change is a programme designed as a coaching tool to equip teachers volunteers and leaders working with children and youth in institutions and communities.
The Masterclass is all about building capacity for institutions and communities to be self-sustaining and hands-on in meeting the mentorship needs children & youth sustainably.
We envision a healthy mentorship culture occurring naturally within learning or discipleship environments and beyond. This includes peer mentorship between children happening in the most organic ways on playgrounds and random kids conversations.
Our Vision -Raising a Whole, Purposeful and Confident Next Generation in Africa
Our Mission – Train 1,000,000 Mentors Who Will Deeply Impact Preteens, Teens and Youth in Africa
Our Journey & Story
Our Journey
In 2015, Leading Change rolled out into 5 schools as Facing Giants mentorship programme with a combined package of sessions for students, parents and teachers. The impact was overwhelming and overtime we have built credibility with more schools and churches.
Here is our track record;
On May to July 2017, we successfully implemented Leading Change at Statehouse Girls High School training 73 staff members who have created and implemented their own in-house mentorship initiative with the students.
On November 2018, we trained KAG Thome section teachers and leaders for one week and their delivery to the children is on another level. We have also had one day trainings in several other churches.
In August 2022 we trained close to 100 Sunday School Teachers in COR Region in a full day seminar with lots of practical activities. The feedback was very inspiring! Prior to that, we had trained close to 20 teachers in COR Mutuini on the Leading Change programme including assessments and practicals.
Besides this, we have organized several standalone trainings for individual mentors, teachers, parents and leaders who attended the evaluative and interactive sessions themed Leading Change Starts With Self Awareness.
Our Story
Our journey started in 2006 as a Balm in Gilead CBO working with teens and youths in schools, churches and destitute homes through evangelism and counseling. This mission was inspired by the rhetoric of Jer 8:21-22 Is there no Balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why is the health of the daughter of my people not improving?
Initially, our main concern was for the teens and youth in vulnerable communities and public institutions around Kahawa West and Ruiru areas staggering under the weight of negative experiences – ranging from upbringing and life’s circumstances, self-image and life outlook, identity crisis, despair, neglect, depression, abuse, discrimination, rejection, sexual indulgence, substance addictions among many other issues.
This had adversely affected their self-talk, beliefs, emotions, attitudes and actions reflected in their risky behavior, self defeating habits, hurtful decisions, toxic relationships, academic and life quality.
Over time, we realized that we cannot meet all their needs, and we can’t mentor them in isolation. Their regular caregivers and leaders needed self awareness and basic mentorship skills to become more proactive support systems. The trainings were very impactful especially in situations where the caregivers were triggers to the struggles and dysfunctions the children had expressed.
In June 2015 Facing Giants Pre/Teens Mentorship successfully piloted an integrated programme in 5 schools which comprised of three sessions for kids, one session for parents and a training day for teachers.
The programme had overwhelming impact and amazing feedback which became insightful input towards the Leading Change programme.
Coaching Resource
Leading Generations book is the main resource that mentors will use in Leading Change. It will support their conversations with children in basically every topic – sexuality, emotions, mental health, family challenges… You name it! The book has very impactful insights, activities and practical actions for mentors and kids
Leading Change Masterclass takes reflective, interactive and practical approach in order to accommodate the variable institutional/organizational needs; as well as enable the trainees to develop and adapt unique solutions for their community’s needs. Our methods of engagement includes lectures, discussions, brainstorming, self-work, role plays and team-building activities.
Our desire is to ensure that communities are raising a strong next generation by grounding them on visionary values system and motivating them towards maximum achievement in their individual capacities.
Programme Outcomes
- Holistic communities with well-defined mentorship models for other communities can learn from.
- Positive attitudes regarding self motivation and achievement for mentees, leaders and mentors.
- Enhanced social skills and acceptable behaviors within communities.
- Strengthened parent/mentor to child, peer to peer, family and community relationships.
- Reduced chances of school dropout, drug abuse, and sexual exposure in institutions and communities.
- Increased sense of belonging and purpose within communities.
- Motivated and proactive mentors & caregivers who mentoring beyond their regular environment.
Programme Activities
- Our core mandate is training ALL corporate, organizational, institutional and community based leaders in order to increase capacity for a culture of healthy mentoring relationships in corporates, institutions and communities.
- We will also have forums for collecting feedback/suggestion from our mentees on their perceived “Giants” using assessment tool that will be input for mentors to design needs driven mentorship programmes.
- You will be part of our regular forums for capacity building on their mentees needs, impact and best practices.
- You’ll join a referral system for the most vulnerable mentees for optimum effectiveness.
Training Schedule
| Timelines | Activity |
| Mentors Sessions | |
| 2Hours | Why the Need? Overview of Mentorship in Communities |
| 2Hours | Personal Evaluation – Qualities of an Effective Mentor |
| 2Hours | Mentorship Techniques – Best Practice and Styles/Approach |
| 2Hours | Contemporary Issues – Challenges/Obstacles of Mentorship |
| 2Hours | Approaches to Mentorship – Tools for assessing needs |
| 2Hours | Designing and implementing a simple mentorship programme |
| Mentees + Mentors Sessions | |
| 1Hours | Facing Giants Conversations |
| 1Hours | What is mentorship? Why I need a mentor? My responsibility as a mentee |
All our coaching outfits take a preventive as well as a corrective approach to psychosocial crisis experiences from childhood and in adulthood.