Annual report 2010-2011

“Nor Luyce”

Mentoring Center for Youth 2010-2011 Gyumri

Nor Luyce believes that girls from orphanages and low income families can be self-sufficient and successful young women.

Nor Luyce provides teenage girls from orphanages and low-income families with oneon-one mentoring which gives each girl a role model. Along with the mentoring relationship, each girl has a chance to (1) participate in skill building training, (2) develop a career plan, (3) enjoy the company of their peers and ultimately, (4) live selfsufficiently.

“If I have a problem, I’m the only one who can solve it—the only one who knows all the feelings and background involved.

You can help me get in touch with those feelings and help me put them in proper perspective. I don’t know of any way for you to do this except to listen.

You’re not a magician. You can’t easily imagine how I’m feeling; you must help me tell you.”

Don Shaw - youth worker

“Nor Luyce”, is a newly established mentoring center for youth, founded in 2009, by father and son Richard and Ara Chackerian.

The aim of Nor Luyce is to help children from orphanages and low income backgrounds by providing them social interaction with responsible adults in the Gyumri, Armenia, community. Just getting together is enjoyable both for the adults and for the children. The fact that the children are being paid attention means a lot to them. One doesn’t have to do a lot, just a little attention, a little bit love and one can leave one’s good influence deep in the soul of a child.

The adults who volunteer to spend time with children are called “mentors” and the children with whom mentors spend time are called “mentees.” The word “mentor” comes from the epic poem “The Odyssey”. Mentor was the name of a family friend of Odysseus, to whom he entrusted the care of his young son when he left to fight in the Trojan War. Young people today have to cope with many personal and social pressures. Getting emotional support from mentors helps the children overcome the problems and challenges they face. We don't forget that we may be one of the few adults in the youth's life who listens.

Arusyak (mentee): “I enjoy taking part in this project. I would like to meet more often, as I feel better when I am in a warm and careful atmosphere.

Mentors of the organization support us almost with everything; they organize very interesting meetings.

I can say that a lot of things have been changed in me during these two months. I would like this project to be longer and me to be involved in it forever.”

Tamara (Aruskya’s mentor): In the beginning when I decided to take part in the project, I thought that everything would be very easy, but the difficulties arose little by little, but we try to solve them and reach our goals. My mentee is indifferent by her nature but after one month I can see some changes in her, e.g. she tries to learn hard and get good marks. She always turns to me for materials for writing research papers or individual works. Though the changes are little, they are seen.”

2010-2011 Brief Description of Main Activities Individual Meetings The 2010-2011 program started in September with five mentors and five mentees.

Individual meetings between mentors and mentees started on October 15. In December six more mentors and mentees joined the program. During the three months, OctoberDecember, 2010, the five mentor-mentee matches were supposed to have 30 individual meetings, instead there were 29. During the seven months of the mentoring period there were 149 individual meetings, or 1819 individual meetings per month.

During the meetings mentors and mentees worked together on: academic achievement problem solving ability short-term and long-term goals career plan preparation through job shadows and other engagements  self-esteem  cultural values such as music and art  negative behaviors such as gang involvement, early sexual behaviors and drug use.    

Individual meetings Meetings supposed to be

Meetings realised

100%

90%

January-December 2011

Group meetings In addition to individual meetings there are monthly group meetings. These meetings differ from each other in their format and theme. Each meeting has a different speaker who addresses a distinctive topic. The group meetings are mainly educational, cultural and fun, but even fun meetings involve education. During group meetings we organize interesting games, discussions and debates. From October 2010 to May 2011 there were 9 group meetings by mentors and 18 group meetings by Nor Luyce staff.

Mentors have organized the following group meetings: 1. Self-esteem 2. Conflict 3. My rights 4. Violence against women 5. Healthy living 6. Ethics 7. Appearance Before starting individual meetings new mentors present a topic for the mentees to know the mentors better and to decide who they want to be their mentors. These meetings provide also the mentees with time and chance to get adjusted to the program, mentors and other mentees.

After all the mentors present their topics they start their individual meetings.

Nor Luyce has organized the following group meetings: 1. Halloween 2. H.Toumanyan 3. Christmas 4. Gender discrimination 5. Non-formal education 6. What, where, when 7. Find your present, past and future 8. Secretary skills 9. Sex education

In 2011 Nor Luyce received a grant from A. D. Sakharov Armenian Human Rights Protection Center which supported a three month project titled

“Career planning”. The project started

in

June, 2011 and finished in August, 2011. During these three months the mentees had a chance to develop a career plan, and meet with employers and employees.

During the grant period Nor Luyce organized the following group meetings: 1. The importance of higher education by Gyumri State Pedagogical University professors 2. Employers’ requirements 3. Interview skills 4. Europass CV and its importance 5. Cover letter writing skills 6. Conversation skills 7. The role of a profession and work in life 8. Career planning presentation 9. Life mapping

We cooperate with the following organizations and individuals:

1. “Fritsiov Nnasen” orphanage in Gyumri 2. Terchoonyan Home orphanage 3. Gyumri Social Educational Center 4. U.S. Peace Corps 5. Depi Hayq/Birthright Armenia Foundation 6. Gyumri Aesthetic Center 7. The A.D. Sakharov Armenian Human Rights Center, Gyumri Branch 8. “Jayr” NGO 9. KASA Swiss Humanitarian Foundation 10. Stepanavan Youth Center/ “GLOW” camp 11. Womens Association with Higher Education NGO 12. Employment Center Director, A. Adamyan 13. Gyumri State Pedagogical University professors 14. Gyumri Branch of Yerevan Art Academy professors 15. Medical College professors 16. Jinishyan Foundation volunteer Hasmik Tonapetyan 17. Shirak Regional Office of Human Rights Defender Center staff 18. Gyumri Informational Technology Center 19. “Ajakits” NGO

BOARD OF DIRECTOR Richard Chackerian, President Ara Chackerian Bella Karapetyan Directors

 Astghik Sargsyan  Gayane Ghukasyan

MENTEES  Srbuhi Aslanyan  Christine Aslanyan  Margarit Bernetsyan

MANAGEMENT TEAM

 Marine Yangyan

Shoghik Mikayelyan

 Ruzanna Hakobyan

Executive Director

Tamara Mkrtchyan

Mentor/Mentee Match Coordinator

 Armenuhi Karapetyan  Sofi Hakobyan  Sona Ghazaryan  Arusyak Ghazaryan  Arpine Termenjyan  Shogher Piloyan

IN-KIND SUPPORTERS 1. Jacqueline Brossard – Birthright Armenia volunteer 2. Alina Sargsyan - Birthright Armenia Volunteer 3. Nanor Arakelyan – Birthright Armenia Volunteer

MENTORS  Arpine Vardazaryan  Tamara Khlghatyan  Avagyan Ani  Mariam Grigoryan  Marine Israyelyan  Anoush Martirosyan  Shoghik Mikayelyan  Tamara Mkrtchyan  Gohar Hovhannisyan  Hasmik Hovhannisyan  Lusine Pakhanyan

GYUMRI, ARMENIA Ghorghanyan #238 Gyumri, Armenia 3105 +374 55017219 www.norluyce.com