Mentoring Minutes - New book, August 2020

Mentoring Minutes: Weekly Messages to Encourage Anyone Guiding Youth

A special launch offer. This book can be ordered for NZ$30 (includes package and posting) through this website in New Zealand ONLY, while stocks last. Contact me and I’ll send an invoice. Please include a delivery address. Once the invoice is paid, I’ll post off your copy of the book which is expected to be available for distribution before the end of August. All other orders go through Amazon or the publisher – compare prices on other online sales. The book will soon be available on Kindle.

This user-friendly book will be an encouragement to schools, youth workers, mentors, parents, grandparents, employers of young people, indeed, anyone who wishes to see young people fulfill their potential.

“Mentoring Minutes is a wonderful book that will be enormously helpful to programs and mentors alike. Through engaging quotes and upbeat messages, mentoring expert Robin Cox has found a way to deliver just the right balance of research and inspiration.” (Professor Jean Rhodes)

“Cox’s book gives endless practical advice to mentors alongside grounded mentoring theory. He carefully balances the primacy to build trust with the new research recommending a more intentional approach. The week by week format helpfully mirrors the mentoring journey and gives hope to the young people Cox shows such a belief in.” (Matthew Button, Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Zealand)

“This book is an amazing resource for anyone working with a young person in a mentoring role – both in and outside of programs. A lifetime’s worth of wisdom and insight has been collected and shared here. Robin has done a wonderful job of highlighting many of the intricacies of the art of mentoring and I hope this book encourages new mentors and fortifies those who are already supporting young people.” (Michael Garringer, MENTOR, The National Mentoring Partnership (USA))

 

7 Key Qualities of Effective Teachers

SPECIAL OFFER ONLY IF YOU LIVE IN NEW ZEALAND: NZ$20 (includes packaging and posting). SEE BELOW.

7 Key Qualities of Effective Teachers: Encouragement for Christian Educators. User-friendly, plenty of reflective activities, over 70 practical tips and strategies to enhance your teaching, true stories to encourage you, short chapters to make this short book an easy and challenging read and a helpful reference book when you need some inspiration or encouragement because you are an amazing teacher! What I have learnt after 45 years in education.

“7 Key Qualities of Effective Teachers by Robin Cox is an overdue, rich, and inspiring resource for educators—and in fact for leaders in any organization. The seven qualities and the seventy-two practical strategies give shape to the core concept—how to be an authentic person, an effective leader, a transformative influencer, and how to do that in a way that is based on the way Jesus modeled. I highly recommend this rich resource as a daily text to delve into, to reflect on, to apply as we lead those entrusted to our care, whether they be young people or adults to whom we provide leadership.” (Rudi Pakendorf, educator and business consultant, Wisconsin)

If you live in New Zealand, please contact me if you wish to take advantage of a special offer of NZ$20 per book. I will need postage details, too. I will send you an invoice. Once payment is received, I’ll post your copy of the book. Unfortunately this offer is ONLY for people who live in New Zealand.

This book is available at all local Amazon outlets – compare prices – and will also be available as an ebook. More information, which includes a 20% discount: Click here

The Barnabas Prayer

A short user-friendly book which follows the significant role that Barnabas – mentor to Saul – played in the emergence of the early Church. We consider some of the key qualities of a servant leader as we journey with Barnabas. Over 100 ideas to inspire and motivate readers to make a positive difference in their communities. Reflections, tips to improve and develop our leadership and coaching skills, and memorable quotes are all included in this guide on how to use our God-given gifts and talents in the post COVID-19 world. The ‘spirit of mentoring’ theme is woven through all the sections of the book.

Mentoring Minutes - FREE podcasts

These free podcasts have hundreds of tips and ideas to encourage anyone who works alongside youth. We look at self-image, communication, how to set and attain goals, conflict resolution, how to live a healthy and balanced life style, the developing brain, anxiety and stress, resiliency and much more. 260 short podcasts or one a day each day of the week through the year. Access the podcasts and click here 

 

Letter 2 A Teen

“I have turned back to the book many times and, honestly, it has helped me a lot in that I have come to accept myself for who I am and am no more intimidated by friends.” (Teenage student)

“It’s a small price to pay to save the life of a teenager.” (Parent of a Teenager commenting on Letter 2 a Teen)

Robin has mentored over 1000 teenagers from a variety of socio-economic backgrounds. He has developed proven strategies to encourage teenagers to become the best they can be. Letter 2 a Teen is a user-friendly book that a teenager can use as a personal, self-empowering Journal as he or she journeys through adolescence to becoming a young adult.

All teenagers who have read the book and commented on it, have stated that it has been a help and encouragement to them and a useful reference point as they deal with teenage issues. Read more comments.

This motivational and inspirational book for adolescents has many practical activities and tips, which every parent, youth worker and teacher should read. It’s a great resource for mentors to go through with adolescent mentees.

“This appealing workbook serves as pep talk, mentor and diary, offering teens a tool for life planning. Drawings, graphics and attractive type styles enliven each page. In a “self-empowering journey,” teens reflect on their dreams, relationships, strengths and talents, practicing affirmation and goal-setting exercises. Cox offers encouragement, along with accessible tips on effective communications, good habits and handling stress. Readers can complete worksheets about time management and “being positive,” prepare a résumé and portfolio, and discover their resiliencies.

 

While road-testing this guide on more than a thousand teens in New Zealand, Australia and Southern Africa, Cox also considered adult mentors whom he trains in his Youth Empowerment Seminars. Both audiences will value this “letter,” and parents will gain understanding about the kind of support teenagers need. Anyone who works with youth will find many ways to use this gem.”
 – Cathi MacRae, YOUTH Today – the newspaper on youth work
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The Spirit of Mentoring

“Great writing. Good images and diagrams. Liked the range of ideas for what we can ‘do’ with a mentee.” (Mentor)

“Fantastic. Interesting. Well set out. Lots of great information.” (Mentor)

2017 Edition now available! A Manual for Adult Volunteers, is used as a Resource book for the Mentoring Matters Mentor Training Program and has been used by over 1,200 volunteer adult mentors during their mentoring journey with teenagers. It has pages and pages of tips for anyone mentoring teenagers – goal setting, communication, resiliency, resolving conflicts, self-image issues and lots more. User-friendly and with tips and ideas that support the latest adolescent brain research.

This Manual has been used by Youth Mentor Programs in New Zealand, Australia and the USA.

“Definitely user-friendly. Excellent lay-out. Great content. Overall I’m very impressed. It’s something I will use all the time.” (Mentor)

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Vision

To motivate, inspire and encourage young people (with a particular focus on ages 13 to 19) to reach their potential and be ready to play their part in the 21st Century world of work as happy, creative, entrepreneurial and resilient people.

Mission

Affirming and encouraging the ‘Spirit of Mentoring’; with an outcome where young people are guided and equipped to reach their potential, living healthy and balanced lifestyles, within the context of a safe, supportive and secure environment.

Resources

The Mentoring Matters material has been developed in line with the findings of international and Australasian research about young people, including some of the most recent adolescent brain research. This material will encourage parents, teachers, volunteer adult mentors and anyone working with youth.

To be cared for (loved)

  • Youth wish to feel safe and secure.
  • The more they are cared for, the more secure they feel.
  • They wish to be surrounded by people who unconditionally care for, appreciate and accept them.
  • They value the positive influences of peers and adults to encourage them to do their best.
  • They are encouraged to appreciate that they are more likely to fulfill their potential when there are clear rules or boundaries in place (some of which can be negotiated). When they step over these boundaries there will be reasonable consequences.

To be valued

  • The more youth are valued the more positive self-worth they experience.
  • They are encouraged to feel they have some control over things that happen to them.
  • Empowering them will be proof that they are valued, respected, liked and are regarded as valuable resources.
  • They value fun time to interact with peers and adults, which involves the development of social skills.

To know that life has meaning and purpose

  • Youth want to know that they matter and their lives have significance.
  • The more they understand that there is a reason for their existence, the more significant they will feel.
  • They value encouragement to explore opportunities within and outside of school to learn and develop new skills and interests.
  • They are encouraged to acquire a commitment to learning: academic success and the long-term value of learning enhances their self-worth as they discover their gifts and talents.
  • They learn to appreciate and understand how to make the tough decisions and choices; how to cope with new situations.
  • They value guidance to develop a positive view of the future.
Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as you ever can. John Wesley

Mentors, the wise guides who voluntarily move alongside our young people and become great, trusted friends.