What the World Needs Now is Love, Sweet Love 🎶 🎶
February holds the unique opportunity to reflect on love. Some believe Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a “Hallmark” holiday. Given the huge marketing blitz we all experience, it’s easy to get caught up in the hype and forget the many different roles love plays in our lives.
Sometimes, the most powerful form of love is showing up for others.
One of the strongest qualities of WriterCoach Connection is the relationship between coach and student. For young people, close connections with adults are developmental relationships.
According to a Search Institute report, young people who experience developmental relationships across different parts of their lives are more likely to show signs of positive development in many areas, including increased academic growth and learning, increased social-emotional intelligence, increased sense of personal responsibility and reduced engagement in a variety of high-risk behaviors.
Young people report being happier and healthier when they are surrounded by a web of relationships that challenge them to grow, learn, and discover new skills and talents.
Our 8-10 week sessions play a small but important role in positive youth development.
The students impacted by our program describe that relationship best:
“I enjoyed most getting to know my coach, I had fun and they were really nice. It made WriterCoach enjoyable.”
“She would cheer me up to do my work.”
– Elmhurst United Middle School students
“How nice the coach is and understanding, that made the experience enjoyable.”
“I enjoyed talking to them because my coach was sweet and interesting to talk to.”
– Betty Reid Soskin Middle School students
Unfortunately, schools and teachers find that organizational and funding priorities leave little time and few resources for relationship building. A focus on the coaching relationship is integrated into what we do. So, let’s speak out about how proud we are of the work of our coaching community!
What We Need Now are Coaches, Sweet Coaches 🎶 🎶
WriterCoach Connection’s program is built on individualized coaching. Volunteerism is way down. In 2021, the formal volunteer rate – the percentage of adults who do unpaid work through or for an organization – experienced its largest decline since the U.S. government began collecting data on volunteering.
In 2017, WCC had 529 coaches. Today we have approximately 179 active coaches. These generous coaches keep our program alive by coaching more than one session and sometimes more than one school. Just this school year, those 179 coaches served over 2400 hours! A Thank You is too little to show our appreciation.
What can you do? Are you passionate about coaching? Committed to helping middle school students improve their writing and communication skills?
Nine times out of ten, the primary way organizations attract volunteers is through word-of-mouth, and most often from their existing volunteers. So, talk to your neighbors, family members and friends. Your infectious enthusiasm is all you need to persuade them to become a member of our coaching community. Consider being a part of our soon-to-be-formed, exciting, P.A.C.T. (Positive Action Coaching Team). Do it now, Do it often.
How To? Become familiar with the volunteer page on the website and send it to your contacts. Follow up and help them complete the “sign up now” form. Mentor them through the process.
Talk with Casey LaBarbera, Manager of Volunteer Recruitment and Retention casey@writercoachconnection.org (510) 570 – 0454 if you have any questions or your potential coach has any questions. Let Casey know if you are interested in P.A.C.T. or learning more about how to share our volunteer experience with friends and family.
Remember,
“Our love bends our dreams toward other people’s fulfillment.”
– Kate Bowler
