Volunteer Mentors are residents who have experience or are knowledgeable in any one of the aspects of newspaper production (i.e. article development, creative writing, photo development, photography, graphic design/layout, editing, interviewing) who volunteer at least one day a week to mentor Youth Staff Members of El Placazo community newspaper. It is the responsibility of the Mentor/Volunteer to assist the Staff Members and El Placazo Coordinator in the production of each month’s issue of the newspaper through: hands-on training and skill/character building. Mentor/Volunteer may be asked to organize and implement activities/responsibilities including the following: pick up/drop off students, answering phones, assisting with conducting of interviews, fieldtrips, layout, photo and article development, writing, editing, driving students to/from interviews, helping to keep office space clean, program development and evaluation, advising of students in relation to educational/scholarship/personal issues, workshops, distribution, mailout, recruitment/retention, typing, fundraising events, phone banking, etc.
The Mentors/Volunteers will be recruited, screened and selected by the El Placazo Coordinator and Executive Director. The Mentor/Volunteer will be selected based on the following criteria: geo-cultural/social/historical/artistic understanding of our community; availability; background; skills; familiarity with purpose and objective of El Placazo and San Anto Cultural Arts. Mentor/Volunteers must adhere to schedules agreed upon by El Placazo Coordinator. Mentor/Volunteers are expected to serve as positive role models to members of El Placazo Youth Staff Members. While on duty or representing El Placazo or San Anto Cultural Arts, Mentor/Volunteer should not: smoke, curse, drink, intimidate, physically/mentally/emotionally abuse Youth Staff, express racially discriminatory sentiments towards others, or express religious/political/sexually oriented dogmatic viewpoints.
Photography Mentors
The Photography Mentor/Volunteer should possess competent skills/under standing of the basic aspects of photography: black and white photo development (chemicals, filters, enlargers, etc.), photo composition, lighting, working with digital and manual cameras. The Photography Mentor/Volunteer is expected to follow the El Placazo Mentor/Volunteer guidelines.
Urban Journalism Mentor
The Urban Journalism Mentor should possess competent skills/understanding of the basic aspects of journalism: creative writing, prose, editing and re-writing techniques, possess excellant reading and writing skills, article development, interviewing skills. A basic knowledge of oral histories is preferred. The Urban Journalism Mentor is expected to follow the El Placazo Mentor/Volunteer guidelines.
Layout and Graphic Design Mentor
The Layout and Graphic Design Mentor should possess competent skills/understanding of the basic aspects of layout and graphic design: scanning; utilizing Quark, Adobe Photoshop, Illustrater in relationship to the design of a periodical. The Layout and Graphic Design Mentor is expected to follow the El Placazo Mentor/Volunteer guidelines.
Leadership Mentor
The purpose of the Leadership Mentor is to provide an opportunity for individuals that may not possess the above skills, to be involved with El Placazo. The Leadership Mentor can work with youth participants of El Placazo and impart valuable life experience, knowledge, and wisdom. The Leadership Mentor is expected to follow the El Placazo Mentor/Volunteer guidelines.
Teen Mentor Initiative (TMI)
The TMI pays monthly stipends to experienced teenage participants who act as journalism, photography, editing, creative writing and graphic design/layout mentors to younger participants of the community newspaper project. The TMI was developed in order to retain participants who are at an age when they are expected to begin earning income to assist with personal and family finances, to provide teenage Staff Members a more pro-active role in developing the skills of younger participants, thus ensuring the future growth of the newspaper and preservation/validation of culture within our community. The purpose of the TMI is three-fold:
- to provide a facilitated mentoring program to meet the developmental needs of younger - elementary and middle school-aged El Placazo Staff Members in all aspects of newspaper production (i.e. journalism, computer layout and design, photography, creative writing and editing)
- to provide monthly stipends to more experienced, teenage Staff Members of El Placazo to mentor and act as role models to younger El Placazo Staff Members
- to provide teenage Staff Members of El Placazo a pro-active opportunity to develop their leadership, communication, and organizational skills/talents
Qualifiations and criteria in order to become eligible for consideration to the TMI are as follows:
- Six months of continous participation with at least one aspect of the production of El Placazo
- Be at least 13 years of age
- Once designated a TMI Member, learn and become proficient in all aspects of the production of El Placazo
In order to receive a monthly stipend, the TMI Member must:
- mentor for a period of 2.5 hours/once a week for the skill development of younger, elementary and middle school-aged El Placazo Staff Members. Mentoring must be devoted to mentee’s Placazo assignment (i.e. article development, photo development, photography, graphic design/layout, editing, interviewing)
- set and adhere to schedule, be consistent, be punctual, and advise coordinator of any absenteeism at least two days in advance (other than emergencies)
- devote time to learning and becoming proficient in all aspects of El Placazo production.
If TMI Member is absent, inconsistent or does not adhere to set schedule (three times within a quarter-three month period) without advising El Placazo Coordinator at least two days in advance, TMI Member will then be dismissed of their duties and stipend as a Teen Mentor.
Evaluation of TMI Members will be conducted by El Placazo Coordinator every quarter (three month period) using current guidelines and progress of both mentor and mentee.
TMI Members will be nominated and selected by a committe consisting of current TMI Members, El Placazo Coordinator, and Executive Director.
The amount of the monthly stipend for TMI Members and the number of TMI slots will be determined based on the availability of San Anto Cultural Arts funds and will be decided by a TMI review committee consisting of current TMI Members, El Placazo Coordinator, Executive Director.