Description

January is National Mentoring Month, and in today’s (Y) Connect episode we’ll hear from Erika Swales, the Y’s Reach & Rise Mentorship Program Director and Group Mentoring Director Kaday Kabba-Howard. Learn about this dynamic mentoring program for children ages six to seventeen. Reach & Rise assists youth with self-esteem, communication, life skills, academic issues, and other challenges plaguing our youth today. Families also receive resources addressing resume building, career counseling, and support if needed around hunger relief and shelter. And listen in on how mentors and mentees are matched in this unique program benefiting the community. 

IN THIS EPISODE:

• [04:05] Kaday describes her role in this mentoring program
• [05:24] Erika shares the partnerships with Cobb County School Districts and the Juvenile Court system and how mentors are recruited
• [07:42] Characteristics of a qualified mentor
• [12:43] Activities and outings available to the mentee with their mentor
• [17:10] Robert shares success stories from his experiences mentoring
• [21:30] Goals and objectives of the mentoring program
• [23:45] Kaday and Erika share their personal past experiences that lead them to the positions they now hold within the Y.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:  

• There are opportunities for mentoring at the Northwest YMCA. An application is online if you are interested in becoming a mentor.  Mentorship is fantastic because the reward outweighs the effort. 
• The program not only assists young people but helps the family with resources in the community.  Parents are also encouraged to participate in behavioral therapy-based training to assist and guide the child at home.
• Exposing kids to culture outside their community is critical to foster friendships, knowledge, and awareness. In addition, expanding a child's mind is beneficial in their development.

RESOURCE LINKS:

Northwest YMCA Atlanta Website

Reach and Rise Mentorship Program Website

YMCA Metro Atlanta Facebook

YMCA Metro Atlanta LinkedIn

YMCA Metro Atlanta Twitter

Ericas@ymcaatlanta.org

kadayk@ymcaatlanta.org

BIOGRAPHY:

Erika Swales is the Y’s Reach & Rise Mentorship Program Director. With a Bachelor's degree in French and Italian and a Master’s Degree in European culture, Erika was born and raised in England. As an adult, she moved to Canada prior to her time in the U.S. Early on and  joined the Y as a member, where she participated in fitness classes and volunteered. In 2013 she began working part-time at the Northwest Cobb Family Y in the children’s play center and was later promoted to full-time as the Family Programs Coordinator. In 2019 she became the Y’s Youth Development Director, and then in September 2022, she transitioned into the role of Reach & Rise Mentorship Program Director. 

Kaday Kabba-Howard is the group mentoring director of the Y’s Reach & Rise Program. As a Licensed Professional Counselor and National Certified Counselor, she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology with an emphasis on Neuroscience from Penn State and a Master of Science degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Georgia State. Kaday has experience working in mental health and substance use in residential treatment facilities, outpatient organizations, individuals who identify as homeless or low-income, and private practice settings.