Natalie is working with an OC non-profit (Girls Inc) to set up a mentoring program with local high-school girls. The intent of the program is to encourage young people to think about what forces shape cities and the neighborhoods around them, through MURP facilitated workshops. The program will also introduce the girls to the discipline of planning and help them start thinking about college and their future careers. There will be an active component to the program as well. The girls will vote on some community activities that are important to them. Then the MURP mentors will attend those activities with the students and discuss the activities afterward.
Natalie is going to hold a meeting in early December, after the quarter ends, to start drawing together a curriculum (please send her your availability so she can choose the best meeting date). The workshops with the students will begin in the winter or spring quarter, depending on how quickly the curriculum can be put together.
This is a low-pressure involvement and a way to share the ideas you’re developing in your program with the next generation of involved citizens in the OC. You can be involved a lot or a little - whatever fits in your schedule. If you are interested in facilitating one workshop or just attending one community activity with the girls, that level of involvement is fine. Please contact Natalie if you’re even remotely interested so she can put you on her list and keep you in the communication loop. nataliea@uci.edu Thanks!
A side note: This program is not aiming to exclude the young men in the community. Girls Inc has well established ties to local schools. This was a more feasible route to go than to try to develop relationships with individual schools from the ground up. That’s the reason the program will focus on girls’ education. However, depending on how much you all want to be involved, the program has the potential to grow and include co-ed workshops as well.
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