Support Us

Peer Mentoring

A core component of LAUNCH Academy is Peer Mentoring. USF student leaders introduce and connect our students to the USF Tampa campus. Mentors serve as an instrumental part of our student’s success and growth. We recruit mentors for our transition program on an annual basis with mentoring beginning every school year in August.

Location: LAUNCH Academy at USF Tampa Campus

Duties:

• Support young autistic adults for 4 hours per week in both Fall and Spring
• Help LAUNCH Academy participants complete weekly mentor assignments and activities
• Serve as a positive role model and friend
• Explore the USF campus together to promote participation in clubs, and organizations, meet people, and try new things or places.
• Build the relationship by planning and participating in activities together.
• Help set goals and work toward accomplishing them.
• Build self-esteem and motivation
• Provide friendship, support, and inspiration.
• Motivate and help students to be empowered.
• Encourage students to make decisions for themselves.
• Assist students in practicing the skills needed for being successful at work, such as organizing workload, being on time, asking for help, and interacting with co-workers.
• Complete weekly reports on each mentoring session
• Attend one professional development/educational training hosted by LAUNCH.
• Communicate with the supervisor if problems arise.

• Be a USF student both Fall and Spring semesters
• Can commit to mentoring BOTH FALL AND SPRING
• Self-starter, independent and highly responsible
• Effective communicator
• Patient and flexible
• Good listener
• Encouraging and supportive
• Tolerant and respectful of individual differences
• Sophomores, juniors and seniors preferred
• Availability must include 2 days/wk (Mondays-Thursdays), 4 hrs/wk between 11AM and 5PM