Spanish-Speaking Mentors for Homeless Youth

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Based in Oakland’s Jack London District, Covenant House California (CHC) is the only full-service shelter for homeless youth, ages 18-24, in the East Bay. Our space includes rooms for homeless youth who are in immediate crisis, in addition to those who have stabilized and moved on to permanent employment. In order to help our young people stay off the streets and become stable, employed, and healthy, we provide employment assistance, GED tutoring, basic living skills, financial literacy programs, and more. Our programs are highly successful, with 85% of our youth currently employed or in school.

Bringing the community together to assist its youth in need is the first step toward building a better community. At CHC, we make large strides to raise homeless youths' confidence and get them on track to live productive, independent lives. They are good kids who have been badly disappointed by adults and exploited by the streets. The sad truth is if they don't get help, they often don't make it. That is why your role as a mentor is important. A mentor can provide guidance, support, and inspiration to the young adult who is trying to build a new life off of the streets.

A mentor is someone who is sensitive and optimistic. It is someone who is committed to serving as a role model and realizes that young people need help coping in today's society. It is important that the mentor has the ability to invest time, possess patience, and be reliable and consistent in what is promised.

Mentoring is a one-to-one relationship over a prolonged period of time between a youth and an adult who provides consistent support, guidance, and concrete help as the younger person goes through a new and possibly challenging situation or period in life. The goal of mentoring is to help young people gain the skills and confidence to be responsible for their own futures including, and with an increased emphasis on, academic and occupational skills. The trust and attachment that are essential in successful mentoring relationships develop best when mentor and mentee are in touch regularly. These contacts should occur weekly for at least six months. more than any other element of a successful mentoring program, consistency and commitment over time has been found to be the most important.

Criteria for Mentors:

1. A mentor must have the time to dedicate to the program.

2. A mentor should feel comfortable serving as an example, role model, and focal point for their mentee.

3. A mentor must have strong coping, conflict resolution, stress management, and interpersonal skills.

4. A mentor must have the ability and willingness to speak clearly and openly with his/her mentee. A mentor must develop the skill to orient all conversations on the mentee's needs.

As a Covenant House California Mentor, you are playing a truly significant role in the life of another human being. Interested applicants should submit a resume and cover letter to Ambrosia Shapiro, Community Involvement Coordinator, at ashapiro@covca.org .