At The M Network, we seek innovative ways to make significant change across the community. We partnered with our client, Casa Valentina, Miami’s best-kept nonprofit secret, to create a unique mentorship program that gives a leg up to at-risk and former foster youth transitioning from foster care to independent adulthood. The program was designed to use our platform at The M Network to support our client’s mission.
Casa Valentina provides residents aging out of foster care with safe and affordable housing, a platform to gain education, life skills, employment, and financial insights, combined with devoted case management.
Through the partnership with The M Network, Casa Valentina residents have the opportunity to shadow and work hand in hand with the M Team to grow their talents and explore marketing. In addition, having access to opportunities to express their viewpoints for active campaigns, their time with our firm offers an unforgettable experience.
Our program with Casa Valentina commenced with resident “Mel R.” Born and raised in South Florida, Mel has proven to be a true artist who is proactive with her creativity. In her words, “I have something to say with my art… Art is self-expression made tangible.” We teamed Mel with our Creative Director, Jason Absher, to continue evolving her design and storytelling repertoire, which was so impressive we put her right to work curating social media posts with our media team.
“I wanted Mel to have the space to understand why she’s unique and why she matters. That is what we do for our clients. Allowing Mel to develop her brand helped her see the branding challenges from both a designer’s and a client’s viewpoint. I wanted her to realize the real difference between solving visual challenges and creating design solutions to solve the goals of an organization.”
M At Work sat down with Mel to hear about this mentorship experience in her own words.
Mel, what was the biggest takeaway from your mentorship experience with The M Network?
“I learned a lot about myself. In terms of potential and the importance of valuing my presence.”
“I learned the importance of acknowledging that my experience is unique because no one sees things from my eyes.”
Growth is one of the most powerful tools in design because it helps you grow your creative thoughts, so we wondered how Mel was planning to use this growth moving forward in her career?
“Inserting myself in more spaces, knowing that my input is still an opinion to be put on the table, even if it doesn’t end up in the final draft… Seeing how to incorporate ideas that didn’t work, but then hearing new insight from somebody else… Using that missing piece to complete the idea.”
The M At Work brainstorming sessions are notorious for inspiring innovation, and we wondered how sitting in on those sessions has supported Mel in her growth?
“I have valued the importance of collaborating to develop finalized ideas…Then seeing an environment where everyone feels very comfortable collaborating on ideas, and making them work, shows how functional, practical, and successful collaborating is. It has changed how I have viewed work, relations, and the importance of collaboration.”
As we continue evolving the M At Work mentorship program, we asked for Mel’s words of wisdom for other residents from Casa Valentina who may desire to experience this mentorship opportunity too.
“Come into it with open eyes. When we look at different organizations and companies from an outside lens, it is very different from when you are on the inside. And sometimes, looking at it from the outside makes it very intimidating, but simply coming with your best foot forward or Sunday Best and seeing where that takes you is the best way to think about it. But also having the patience for yourself, to re-conquer those expectations.”
To see more highlights from the M At Work Mentorship Program, follow along on our social media @the_m_network