Coaching for Social Change – Belinda Brown

Belinda Brown knows youth. She knows their struggles and their triumphs, their addictions and their anxieties, and the power that their day-to-day relationships have over their lives.

 

 

As the executive director of The Rose Circle Mentoring Network, a highly successful youth mentoring program in Oregon, Belinda’s passion for improving young people’s self confidence is put to the test every day. Her program trains mentors in up-to-date, research-based practices, and provides services to hundreds of youth aged 10-24 through one-on-one mentoring, group workshops, outdoor education, performing arts camps, and support for young mothers.

 

 

Her background is in prevention and counseling, focusing on alcohol and drug issues, domestic violence, anger management, and crisis intervention. However, never one to accept the current state of affairs as “good enough,” Belinda realized that she needed to broaden her own knowledge, to gain experience with cutting-edge research on youth empowerment — which lead her to Youth Coaching Institute. Belinda knew that building healthy communication skills and relationships is a core development need in individuals, schools, businesses, and families, and sought out health and wellness coach training in order to better serve her population.

 

 

“I love coaching young people,” she says, “so that they have the tools and skills they need to create and maintain healthy relationships. It improves their confidence in who they are.”

 

 

As a certified youth coach, Belinda plans to pass along the best practices she’s learning to the dozens of adult mentors she trains each year. This information filters out through the mentors to the youth they serve, impacting hundreds of young people. Because of Belinda, and her coaching training, her area sees healthier relationships and happier youth.

 

 

Sometimes progress is simple. As Belinda says: “Get up, dress up, show up, and be authentic.” Now, with the research and practice to back this coaching philosophy, Belinda’s program is more impactful than ever.