Keep these five ideas in mind as you help your team:

• Engage team members in constant motivation, reflection, and feedback.
• Establish regular, consistent contact with your team members.
• Manage team dynamics and involve all teens equally in project.
• Know and oversee safety and health issues.
• Have fun!

“Remember that your role in a partnership is not to parent. The purpose of youth-adult partnerships is to give both parties a different way to relate to each other. By investing time and leadership to make these partnerships thrive, we can benefit from the creativity, energy and enthusiasm that young people offer.” Wendy Wheeler, President and CEO of the Innovation Center for Community and Youth Development in Takoma Park, MD.

More Ideas on How to Be an Effective Adult Advisor (Adapted from The Two of Us: a Handbook for Mentors, Smith, Marilyn W., Copyright 1997, The Abell Foundation, and Mentoring Initiatives: An Overview of Youth Mentoring, Copyright 2000, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention)

• Develop a work plan for a defined period of time.  Most successful projects will take about a year to complete.
• Schedule regular meetings with the team members.
• Form partnerships with other like-minded organizations and groups.
• Help your team members focus on their strengths and put them in situations where they have to utilize those strengths.
• Seek opportunities for your team members to find creative solutions to their own problems and/or project challenges.
• Help your team members develop the ability to see the problem from another point of view.
• Set limits and provide structure to promote safe and effective strategies for completing the work, to ensure that all team members experience some success and to let them know that you truly care about them.
• Establish regular, consistent contact with your team members.
• Help your team members verbalize their hopes, fears, satisfaction and frustrations.
• Encourage your team members to evaluate their project as it progresses.
• Praise your team members.
• Look for support from others.
• Laugh.

Remember: A good leader leads by example!