December 6, 2007 - Every Friday, 175 Calgary teens spend an hour per week mentoring elementary school students. The result is improved self-esteem and higher grades. Ambrose grad Sharlene Coulter helps make it happen.

A graduate from Ambrose in 2004 with a BA in Behavioural Science, Sharlene went to work for Big Brothers and Big Sisters after graduation. It was a natural fit since she did her program practicum with the agency. She recently was asked to take on the role of Teen Mentoring Coordinator for the agency. The goal of the teen mentoring program is to provide a positive role model for a young child. Therefore high school and junior high school students spend one-on-one time with a child in a nearby elementary school.

Sharlene sets up the partnerships between the schools and then recruits the student volunteers. She then oversees the screening and training processes to ensure that the teen mentors are well qualified and well trained. The mentoring program has an added value for the mentoring teens who receive job and scholarship references as a result of the experience.

As Mentoring Coordinator, Sharlene enjoys doing in-class presentations to recruit teens to the program. "I also like the process writing and finding innovative ways to recruit mentors...all the visionary stuff."

Currently eight public and Catholic Calgary Senior and Junior Highs are involved in the project with more coming on board next year. Sharlene is another example of Ambrose graduates who are having a direct impact on the social fabric of the community.

Contact: Dr Kelly Schwartz Associate Professor of Psychology and Behavioural Science Program Head
Phone: 403.410.2000 ext. 5908
Email: KSchwartz@ambrose.edu
Web: www.ambrose.edu/programs/bhs