A University and Community-Based Partnership: After-School Mentoring Activities to Support Positive Mental Health for Children Who Are Refugees

Laura A. Nabors, Tina L. Stanton-Chapman and Filiberto Toledano-Toledano
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Laura A. Nabors: College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
Tina L. Stanton-Chapman: College of Education, Criminal Justice and Human Services, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA
Filiberto Toledano-Toledano: Unidad de Investigación en Medicina Basada en Evidencias, Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez National Institute of Health, Márquez 162, Cuauhtémoc, Mexico City 06720, Mexico

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 10, 1-11

Abstract: The objective of this study was to examine mentors’ perceptions of a pilot service-learning program designed to provide activities to promote the self-esteem and positive development of elementary school-age children who were refugees. Activities were designed to promote self-esteem, self-confidence, social skills development, and problem-solving. College students completed reflection journals to record their perceptions of mentoring and what the children were learning and experiencing. The results indicated that mentors believed the children were learning ideas to improve their self-esteem and social development. Mentors’ impressions were corroborated by reports about the program from staff who worked with the children daily. Involving parents in programming, may have extended the reach of program efforts. Some children may have benefited from evaluations to determine if counseling would benefit them, given the trauma history they and their family members were potentially facing. This was a pilot program implementation study, and a limitation is that data from youth and parents about mental health outcomes were lacking. In the future, assessing perceptions of children, involving their caregivers in programming, and then assessing their caregivers’ perceptions of the impact of the program on children’s self-esteem and social and emotional functioning will provide critical information about program success and information for program development.

Keywords: mentoring; after-school; mental health; reflection; refugees (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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