Marc Bean - 10th July 2007

Mirrors is intended to be an intensive intervention programme for young people between the ages of 15 to 18, who are at risk or on the verge of falling through the cracks.  These youths are generally already known to the helping professionals, employment services, education system, or the criminal justice system.  The goal of Mirrors is to develop human potential by assisting participants to better understand themselves. The programme will give participants a new context in which to mould lives. With this new context, these youths will have new choices for their future and continued development. Assistance with delivery of key components of the Mirrors Programme will be from Uncommon Results Inc who have developed a proven training programme which has been successfully utilized in the United States and other countries, this training will facilitate personal, professional and organisational development.  Mirrors along with Uncommon Results are about Transformation, Personal Development and Performance coaching.  Mirrors is not a traditional intervention.  It will help adults to find out; Who they are, How they got where they are, What they want to get out of life and How to get there.

 Any intervention with the youth of today must confront their resignation, scepticism, and cynicism.  The Mirrors Programme will seek too address these issues through the 3 components of its program Recruitment, Residential Intervention and Follow through.  Recruitment & Enrolment during this phase of the programme we need the assistance of the helping Youth Professionals to identify and refer clients to the programme.  Residential Intervention this is a six day intensive intervention programme during which the youth participants confront the choices that they have made; the consequence of these choices; and how they have limited the possibilities available to them.  Follow through, in this phase the participants must implement changes to their lives.  The main focus is on the on-going training and development of these participating youths to encourage them to believe in themselves, and recognise that they are well able to increase their potential.

The Mirrors Programme is another opportunity for service -minded persons to put into practice the Golden Rule that is to love thy neighbour as thyself. Practicing the Golden Rule through the vehicle of selfless service, must be directed to eradicating man's common enemies, that of Poverty and ignorance. There is no doubt in my mind that poverty and ignorance are the main causes for why we have youth at risk in Bermuda.