SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistics Center (FLC) San Diego wrapped-up the first phase of its groundbreaking Teambuilding and Mentorship (T&M) program with San Diego Youth Services Jan. 31 at Naval Base San Diego.
The pilot program, conceived and led by Janae Sergio, a logistics management specialist at the command, paired at-risk youth from the local community with Sailors and civil servants over a period of eight weeks to focus on teambuilding, mentoring and life improvement skills.
Mentees Nuna Deng and Chris Ofodu met with their NAVSUP FLC San Diego mentors for about three hours per week beginning Nov. 15, 2011, and logged about 28 hours by the end of the first phase. In addition to individually tailored coaching and encouragement from their command mentors, Sergio also arranged for Fleet and Family Support Center personnel to provide formal presentations.
"I'm really glad I had an open mind to participating," said Deng. "It's nice to meet and be around people who are driven to succeed and still want to take the time to help you out with your own personal goals. They really listen to you and your situation and try and help you as much as they can."
The youths received in-depth training in areas like resume writing, interviewing, interpreting skills, punctuality, anger management, dressing for success and attendance.
"We spend a lot of time with San Diego Youth Services outside of this program, doing things like community relations events and helping them out where we can, but I think the unique part here is that they were able to establish closer relationships with some of our people," said Sergio. "I think what they really needed was to discuss their goals, aspirations, and even current life events with someone. All they wanted was for someone to get on their level and hear them out."
San Diego Youth Services is a non-profit organization that works to stabilize the lives of homeless and in-crisis youth throughout San Diego County. NAVSUP FLC San Diego collaborates with the organization during various beautification and support programs year-round as part of a partnership agreement aimed at lending a hand in the local community.
So far, Sergio and NAVSUP FLC San Diego leadership acknowledge the program is working. In just the middle of the first phase of the program, Ofodu, who said he enjoys working with children, had a job interview lined up with a Navy child development center. Ofodu credits the resume training provided by the command, as well as networking on the part of one of his mentors, for the opportunity.
"I got pretty lucky when I got paired up with someone I had a personal connection with," Ofodu said. "You don't choose your mentors; they're chosen for you. But it turned out he was easy to talk to and helped me out not only with his knowledge, but also with his own personal experiences. I have a whole new resume and portfolio, and I already had one interview in just the first couple weeks."
Mentors were chosen from a group of exceptional volunteers within the command. Following their selection, each mentor received extensive training in program standards, values and goals.
Standout participants who successfully complete phase one may be eligible to move on to the second phase of the program, which focuses more heavily on networking and securing employment, and may give stellar youths opportunities to be hired as Navy civilians in positions for which they qualify.
Sergio credited her own life experiences for giving her the passion and motivation to help other youths succeed and said the overwhelming support from command leadership contributed greatly to the program's success. She said the T&M program is a new, more innovative way of aligning the command's efforts with Navy outreach and accession goals while simultaneously giving back to the community.
"If we can help change the life of just one youth as a result of this program, we will have succeeded," said Sergio. "If only one youth gets a job, sees a better future, or just feels better about themselves and gets on their feet, it will all have been worth it."
NAVSUP Fleet Logistics Center San Diego, one of seven fleet logistics centers under NAVSUP Global Logistics Support, provides global logistics, business and support services to fleet, shore and industrial commands of the Navy, Coast Guard, Military Sealift Command, and other joint and allied Forces. Services include contracting, regional transportation, fuel, material management, household goods movement support, postal and consolidated mail, warehousing, global logistics and husbanding, hazardous material management, and integrated logistics support.
NAVSUP GLS comprises more than 5,700 military and civilian logistics professionals, contractors and foreign nationals operating as a single cohesive team providing global logistics services from 110 locations worldwide.
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