Service opportunities, such as the Young Women’s Leadership Program and the Young Men’s Leadership Program, allow UA students to mentor middle school students in the Tuscaloosa area. The programs are facilitated through the Women’s Resource Center.
These programs are partnered with the University Union and are similar to the Boys and Girls Club’s “Big Brothers/Big Sisters” program in that both are aimed at one-on-one pairing.
“The specific training and content areas set these programs apart,” Jessi Hitchins, assistant director of the WRC, said. “These programs are built on a system of three tiers,” she explained.
For women, these three tiers are competence, autonomy and connections with one another. For men, the three tiers are authenticity, respect and strength.
Each program requires a one-year commitment, 20 hours of training in the fall and 10 weeks of mentoring in the spring.
Andres Peña, a senior majoring in management and political science, said many people are under the impression that the WRC is for women only.
“When I tell people that I work and volunteer with the WRC, sometimes they are drawn back because I’m a male,” Peña said.
Pena has been a part of the Young Men’s Leadership Program for three years as a mentor and has been on the staff of the WRC for two years. He said he first heard about the program through Get On Board Day his sophomore year.
“I volunteered, enjoyed it, but wanted to be more involved in the coordinating and planning, so I joined the staff,” he said.
Along with mentoring a middle school boy every year, he also plans the curriculum and trains other mentors.
“The main goal [of the WRC] is empowering women but also to serve the underserved,” Peña said.
The Women’s Resource Center moved to a new home recently and is continuing to create programs that support both men and women.
Located at 1101 Jackson Ave., the WRC is inside the South Lawn office building, across from the Alabama Credit Union on Bryant Drive.
“We are excited about the new space and are moving forward with all of our programs,” Hitchins said.
The Young Men’s Leadership Program and the Young Women Leaders Program are accepting applications for the 2010-2011 year.
Those interested in applying to the program can visit wrc.ua.edu for an online application. Training will take place in the fall every Tuesday from 2-4 p.m. for women and every Wednesday from 2-4 p.m. for men.
In the spring, mentoring will take place from 2:30-4:30 p.m. on Mondays for both programs. The programs are open to female and male students at the University, as well as those at Shelton State Community College.
