Agency Details:

Reality Mentor, Inc.

Our mission is to create a new community where youth participate in defining personal, educational and professional goals and achieve them through life changing programs, projects, and one-on-one coaching provided, in part, by mentors who hold positions of leadership in Bay Area business, government and educational institutions.

Description:
Reality Mentor, Inc.’s mentoring model is based on the Governor’s Mentoring Partnership “Recommended Best Practices For Mentor Programs” and professionals who are linked with youth to build “Reality Coaching” designed to assist in the development of the next generation of leaders. In addition to exposing these youth to professional workplaces, they are also required to participate in social environments where they must apply newly acquired soft skills learned through Reality Mentor, Inc. workshops and seminars. Reality Mentor, Inc. believes that the success of students today requires exposure to a continuum of educational opportunities both inside and outside the classroom.

Reality Mentor, Inc. in partnership with the Fremont, Hayward, San Leandro, San Ramon and San Lorenzo Unified School Districts will select high school students who are looking for opportunities to learn how concepts studied in the classroom apply to the workplace, search for a connection between the courses they take at school and future career options and seeking to learn about those occupations from professional’s currently working in those positions.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) managed by Reality Mentor Inc. has been established with Fremont, Hayward, San Leandro, San Ramon and San Lorenzo Unified School Districts as well as South Bay Area Community Service Organization, SBACO, a local community agency of retired school teachers and administrators. Per the MOU, all parties agree to the terms and conditions of the partnership with Reality Mentor, Inc.

The Host company will commit to professional Coaching relationships by identifying mentors within their organizations. Reality Mentor, Inc. along with Host organization will review and evaluate all students (candidates) for potential job shadowing, internships or other employment opportunities.

It is the policy of Reality Mentor Inc. that each mentor and student completes a screening procedure.
Eligibility screening for mentors includes:
• Attend two-hour mentor training
• An application process and review
• Face-to-face interview
• Reference checks for mentors, an established policy and procedure by Hayward Unified School District to protest the safety of students. This must include criminal history record checks, finger printing, and may include character references, child abuse registry check, driving record checks and tuberculosis screening.
• These services will be provided at no cost to the Mentor by the Hayward Unified School District
• Successful completion of pre-match training and orientation.
• Negative TB test results

Eligibility screening for student (mentee) includes:
• Attend two-hour student (Mentee) training
• Complete written application
• Obtain parent/guardian consent
• Complete personal (Mentee) interview

During the match process, Reality Mentor, Inc. reviews the application, interview notes, and interest survey information of both the student and mentor to determine match suitability between a mentor and student. The greatest weight will be placed on the student preferences and needs. A match selection will be made using the match suitability criteria as a guide:
• Preferences of the mentor, student, and/or parent/guardian
• Similar gender/ethnicity
• Common interests
• Geographical proximity
• Similar personalities

Mentoring can range from an informal casual relationship to a highly structured, intense interaction. The mentoring relationship is designed to be fluid and to have periods of intense interaction interwoven with less intense periods. The recommended frequency of the relationships is meeting twice a month for 1-3 hours; however, this is not mandatory. The content and outcome of each interaction is not specified as long as the results clearly benefit youth in their academic and professional pursuits.
• The type of activities in which the mentor engages with the student is the following: tutoring, mentoring, e-mentoring, mock interviews, internship and job shadowing.

Reality Mentor, Inc. will hold monthly workshops and seminars during the school year supporting the students and parents in the following areas:
• Building Bridges: For parents and teens who want to build bridges instead of walls in their relationships.
• Training in self-esteem and anger management
• Financial and Budgeting
• Soft Skills: Work ethic, Courtesy, Teamwork, Self-discipline and self-confidence, Conformity to prevailing norms and Language proficiency

Desired outcomes for Reality Mentor, Inc.’s mentoring program show the significant potential of programs such as these. Reality Mentor, Inc. provides a structured framework that will result in improved academic achievement and reduced absences, improvement in decision-making and heightened evidence of the ability to establish and reach goals, and enhanced self-respect and increased desire to pursue employment and academic opportunities.

• The following are some of the benefits to participating businesses:
• Company
• Enhances public image through high visibility project
• Influences future workforce regarding opportunities in your company/industry
• Stimulates a skilled, well educated and diverse workforce for tomorrow
• Improves employee managerial skills around Coaching, communication and career planning
o Supports company’s community outreach goals
• Employee
• Enhances managerial skills that may lead to greater employment responsibilities
• Provides a platform to share knowledge and experience
• Makes a deep personal impact on a young person’s life
• Gains satisfaction of helping a youth in need in a safe and comfortable environment
• Supports employer’s community outreach goals

Current staff of Reality Mentor Inc. includes:
Freddye M. Davis, CEO. Mrs. Davis’ primary responsibility is to ensure that all programs and activities are developed, funded and implemented to achieve defined goals. Ms. Davis reports to the Board of Directors and is a retired Registered Nurse and holds a Nursing Degree from Wayne State, Lansing Michigan. Mrs. Davis is also President of the Hayward–South Alameda County NAACP and its first female President. She was inducted to the Women Hall of Fame, March 2006 and elected Woman of the Year, April 2006 by Assemblymember Johan Klehs at the Capitol in Sacramento, CA. She is a supporter/advocate of Adewole Program in Hayward Unified School District and a partner with Pepsi Bottling Group in establishing jobs and scholarships for students in Hayward Unified School District.

History:
Reality Mentor Incorporated (RMI), is a California-based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Conceived and founded in 2005 by Freddye M. Davis, RMI is headquartered in Hayward, California.

With several years of leadership in her local and statewide community, Ms. Davis became keenly aware of the fact that many youth lacked the personal and professional skills to adequately evaluate, pursue and attain positions of employment. She understood that this deficit in skills also contributed to an inability to pursue career guidance. After years of meetings, committees and strategic planning with community leaders and concerned parents, it was determined “now is the time for change” to develop our next generation of leaders.

With initial financial commitments from community members and local businesses, RMI opened its doors and began forging strong partnerships with school districts and other organizations serving youth. Today RMI staff and partners continue to expand the scope of mentoring program services.

RMI currently operates a mentorship program and career exploration resource centers with local schools through a formalized connection between corporate professionals and community youth. In the Spring of 2007, RMI launched its first class of thirty 9th graders attending high schools within the Hayward Unified School District. In the fall of 2007, RMI welcomed the Fremont Unified School District to the RMI Mentoring Program with nineteen 9th grade students. RMI has expanded and signed MOU's with San Ramon, San Leandro and San Lorenzo as well. In the future, RMI will continue to expand its scope of services to include college undergraduates.

Contact people:

Michelle Buchanan, Mentoring Activities Coordinator, (phone), (email) Freddye Davis, Chief Executive Officer, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (510) 581-4164

Address:

1218 B Street Hayward, CA 94541 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.realitymentorinc.org

Directions:

The corner of B Street and 2nd Street. BART-HAYWARD STATION, 699 B ST. HAYWARD, CA 94541-2981   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: 699 B ST. HAYWARD, CA 94541,   Walk distance (in minutes): 15   Nearest Bus Stop: M - AC Transit, 3 minute walk

Last updated on September 30, 2009