Reimagining Pathways to Student Success- Brief #3
PENCIL is proud to release the last of three briefs in our series:
Reimagining Pathways to Student Success: PENCIL’s Observations & Recommendations From a Three-Year Retrospective
Brief #3: Building Relationships Through Developmentally Aligned Program Modalities
By Jessica Bynoe, Devaughn D. Fowlkes, Keith A. Howey & Katje Lilah King
Through both virtual and in-person program modalities PENCIL works to help students develop meaningful relationships with volunteers through facilitated processes. Students and volunteers engage in activities to get to know each other as people. Volunteers are encouraged to share stories about challenges as much as successes. Students are challenged by volunteers in positive ways to aspire to stretch goals. These connections help students internalize that there are adults outside their families or social circles that care about and support their success.
Young people with three or more caring adults in their life are more likely to achieve their goals. ii How young people build and trust those relationship vary, especially across age and environment. Therefore, it is important to understand what programs modalities work best for different age groups as they build meaningful connections.