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SCitizen Projects
Connecting with Los Angeles LGBT Youth through Mentorship
Facilitators: Dr. Mary Andres, Michael Ferrera, Dinorah Garcia, Bobby Ridenour, Vincent Vigil, and Elina Khodorkovsky
Abstract:
The USC Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Resource Center and GLBT Student Assembly (GLBTA) collaborate with Lifeworks Mentoring, a local Los Angeles LGBT Mentoring Program, to educate incoming students about the significant implications of mentoring local LGBT youth and their supportive allies. Facilitators will explain the expectations of mentors in the program and participants will hear personal experiences from Lifeworks mentors and youth in the program. Youth will share their reasons as to why they joined the program and explain how the mentors have affected their lives. In addition, participants will be able to mentor students about their academic aspirations and develop friendships with the youth involved in Lifeworks.
Learning Outcomes:
- Students will be able to describe in short the importance of a mentor for LGBT youth.
- Students will recognize at least two reasons why Los Angeles LGBT Youth joined the Lifeworks Mentoring program.
- Students will be able to report at least one hardship LGBT Youth may experience.
Organization Information:
LifeWorks Mentoring provides one-on-one mentoring and a program of client services to gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth ages 14-24 years old. In the Client Mentoring Program, youth are matched with a successful adult from the community to work on a Life Plan. The Life Plan is a set of short and long term goals in five achievement areas that are building blocks to self-sufficiency. The Achievement Areas are as follows: Career, Education, Wellness, Home and Personal Development. The youth and LifeWorks Mentoring staff work together to create an individualized Life Plan. LifeWorks Mentoring also offers a package of client services as a part of the Green Room Program. Clients are offered weekly drop in hours in the Green Room, a resource center with internet access, a library and a place to meet others and just hang out. Monthly workshops are presented to expose clients to available community resources. Social activities also occur monthly and offer opportunities to interact with peers while developing a positive social network. Internships provide clients with real world work experience in several career areas. All services are free of charge and clients are allowed to choose which services will most benefit them.
Facilitator Biographies:
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Dr. Mary Andres is an Assistant Professor from the Rossier School of Education and teaches in the Marriage and Family Therapy program. She was previously a Staff Psychologist at Student Counseling Services where she coordinated the USC GLBT Mentoring Program for ten years. Dr. Andres’ professional interests include multiple dimensions of identity, sexuality, and harm reduction with substance abuse and other destructive behaviors. |
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Michael Ferrera is the Executive Director of LifeWorks Mentoring, currently the only stand-alone mentoring organization in the country for LGBTQ youth. He holds a Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University and has specialized in adolescent psychotherapy for over 10 years. Previously, Michael worked for a Los Angeles foster care agency for eight years that specializes in working with LGBTQ youth. As a Public Policy Director, he co-authored and worked to pass statewide legislation mandating equal treatment for all youth in systems of care and the required matching of emancipating youth with mentors that will provide support during their transition to adulthood. Michael is a member of the Board of Directors of Equality Source, the home of the Gay Ad Council. He also serves as co-Facilitator of the Task Force to End Homophobia in the Los Angeles County child welfare system and participates on two Advisory Committees with the Child Welfare League of America – the Advisory Committee on Cultural Competency – and the National LGBT Advisory Network. Michael hopes his life work and LifeWorks Mentoring will help lead to a world where all children are honored and their potentials are unleashed.
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Dinorah Garcia is currently the Life Associate for LifeWorks Mentoring, specializing in services for LGBT youth. She has been working in social services doing case management for four years. Dinorah has served as an advocate for at-risk, LGBT and pregnant and parenting youth. Dinorah is also a volunteer counselor for the suicide crisis line and has been a volunteer with Aids Project Los Angeles for eight years. She graduated with her BA in Psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz. Dinorah hopes her life’s work will help create an environment that teaches and fosters understanding and solidarity for all youth. |
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Bobby Ridenour is the Programs Manager for LifeWorks Mentoring. Bobby graduated from Lemon Monroe High School in Monroe, Ohio in 1999 and is currently enrolled at Los Angeles Community College, pursuing his B.A. in Social Work. Before working with LifeWorks Mentoring, Bobby volunteered with several youth services in his home town of Middletown, Ohio focusing on the youth population as a whole. He has worked as a Missionary and a preschool teacher for Primrose School of Symmes. In addition, Bobby also served as Youth Leader for seven years for Calvary Baptist Church of Middletown and five years as the Royal Ambassadors/Girls in Action camp leader for the Miami Valley Association. Bobby is excited about finally being able to be open about his sexual orientation; yet still able to help a population of youth that has found a special place in his heart. |
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Vincent E. Vigil is the Director of USC’s LGBT Resource Center. He graduated from Whittier College with a B.A. in Business Administration and also received his Masters Degree in Postsecondary Administration and Student Affairs (PASA) at USC. He is currently enrolled in the doctorate degree program in USC’s Rossier School of Education. Vincent has worked at USC for the past four years as a graduate advisor for Program Board and graduate assistant for the LGBT Resource Center. He has also held leadership positions at USC as the President of the PASA Network, President of the Education Graduate Organization and the Public Relations Chair for the Graduate and Professional Student Senate. He was awarded the Peer Achievement Award in 2005 as an Outstanding Staff member and the 2005 Lambda Alumni Scholarship in Education. |
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Elina Khodorkovsky was born in Baku, Azerbaijan and moved to the United States at the age of 4 in 1991. She grew up in Pennsylvania. She moved to Los Angeles to attend USC and is majoring in International Relations and Global Business. Elina chose to come to USC because of the great location, outstanding academic programs and she received a Trustee Scholarship. She decided to get involved with LGBT and Ally programming because she wanted to reach out to the new freshmen. |
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