About the Program:
Encouragement is one of the greatest gifts that we can give or receive in our lives. The story of Barnabas in the Bible is a great example of this. Barnabas, whose original name was Joseph, was a Jewish man who converted to Christianity. He was renamed Barnabas by the Apostles, which means “son of encouragement”, because he exhibited a character of encouragement and utilized God’s gifts to him to benefit others.
The Bar-Nabas Paired Program (Bar-Nabas Paired) seeks to bring together people who want to use their God-given gifts to encourage others who are less fortunate – to bring together people that need encouragement and those that can give encouragement . Bar-Nabas Paired was started because we all need encouragement and people in our lives that believe in us and want to see the best in us come alive. And the story of Barnabas teaches us what a lifestyle of encouragement can accomplish.
Our Program is based on three general principles:
- Living to Give – We believe that one cannot have an encouraging life without having a generous heart. To encourage is to give and generosity is the foundation of encouragement.
- Being a Champion to Others – We believe that people want and need to know that they have a “Barnabas” out there looking out for and believing in them – and that Barnabas may just be you.
- Giving Someone an Opportunity – We believe that everyone deserves a chance at an opportunity to better their lives, even if they have faltered in the past. We see the hidden treasures in spite of past failure and want to give another opportunity to someone to realize their true worth.
There have been many people in our lives, for whom we are very grateful, who have provided a support system, believed in us, and encouraged us. We see this as an opportunity to pay it forward and continue the spirit of encouragement.
Bar-Nabas Paired provides encouragement through two main avenues:
- Paired Relationships – Mentors commit to providing emotional support to their selected mentee through one-on-one relationships. The goal is to have personal continuous engagement and support with the mentees and help them transition from one stage of their personal development to the other with guided steps and real-life experiences through one on one mentoring and coaching. Each mentee will be paired with a mentor who will guide him/her through her personal and academic journey. Mentors will:
- Offer encouragement, listen and inspire
- Share knowledge and life experiences
- Coach, provide guidance and advice
- Help student explore different career choices and advise on professional development
- Help to develop leadership skills
- Scholarships – Mentors commit to providing financial assistance for their selected mentees through college. This includes full tuition and fees, school supplies, and uniforms. Annual financial commitment ranges between $500 to $1,500 United States Dollars per mentee, depending on the mentee’s school.
Target Mentors: Bar-Nabas Paired targets individuals who are financially capable and willing to commit to supporting mentees throughout their personal and academic journey. We appreciate the enormity of this commitment and have developed several ways in which you can support. For those who are able to commit financially, but are unable to commit to personal mentorship, you may select another individual who can aptly represent you in this role. For those who are unable to commit long-term, there is still an opportunity to encourage through donations to Bar-Nabas Paired for extracurricular activities for mentees, such as seminars, field trips, etc., and stipends for Program Administration.
Target Mentees: Bar-Nabas Paired targets students from grades 1 through 12 who are high academic achievers from low income households, orphans, victims of sexual abuse.
To partner with UFOUND and become a Bar-Nabas Paired Mentor, send an email via our Contact Us page and we will be happy to send you a full package of information.