LIFT Mentoring: The LIFT mentoring program reaches our city’s youth, ages 12-25. Historically, this aspect of our work has made the biggest impact. This Circle of Care program highlights a unique strategy of empowerment that uses healthy relationships as an engine to drive revitalization from within.
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Over the next five years, LOVEtheLOU will continue our goal of taking students/neighbors from surviving to thriving. We will walk with our North City families from dependance on unhealthy systems that only encourage deeper poverty to meaningful flourishing. All of this will be rooted in one of the deepest values found in North City…COMMUNITY.
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We are experiencing a revitalization of neighborhoods from the people who are already living there. This is what we mean when we say, “a community building up community.” Our STL LIFT mentoring program is rooted in this family dynamic. This means that in order to join the LOVEtheLOU program you will first be introduced to our community.
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Our circle of care program is a system of care that encircles each individual with resources found in relationships. Since North City is cut off relationally from the rest of St. Louis resources are extremely limited. Through this STL LIFT Mentoring system an individual is surrounded by relationships/opportunities that they would have no normal access to. Each individual is raised up by a series of healthy decisions on their part to continue to move forward towards flourishing. Our program is designed to help incentivize, teach, and assist with those steps forward. Using fostering techniques found in such programs as “Connected by 25” our LOVEtheLOU community will walk alongside each student/neighbor to build a healthier North City community.
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Our mentoring program is based on 8 pillars of growth. Education, Career, Community, Grit, Inner Growth / Outward Focus, Integrity, Respect and Gratitude, Future Oriented. Our pillars are relational opportunities surrounding each individual. This means that each pillar has a team of individuals inserting themselves into the lives of these North St. Louis students. Each pillar has a progressive number of benchmarks to demonstrate growth. These steps determine future engagement and a number of incentives.
Education Pillar: I am a continuous learner and I will graduate.
Career Pillar: It’s not just a job. I am heading towards a career.
Community Pillar: I am connected. I am seeking healthy people.
Grit Pillar: I am an overcomer. I am a problem solver.
Inner Growth / Outward Focus Pillar: I am growing in self control.I have good habits.
Integrity Pillar: If I say it, then I will do it.
Respect and Gratitude Pillar: I treat others like I want to be treated. I lift up.
Future Oriented Pillar: I make goals and strive to meet them.
Our basic framework is built on five levels of flourishing. These levels build on each other and an image of an upward spiral comes to mind. This is a system that runs adjacent to the current “Handout System” that is so prevalent within U.S.poverty. We will celebrate each graduation. This System raises the bar, so it will be an honor to be a part of this program.
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If you are interested in knowing more about the LIFT mentoring program contact Tiarra Harris (tiarra@lovethelou.com).
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