Help teens in Affordable Housing Communities: become an Academic Mentor today! (Lancaster)

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Do you enjoy contributing to your community? Are you a good friend and patient listener? If so, join LINC for an exciting chance to give back to youth facing an opportunity gap!

At LINC, our mission is to bring quality, affordable housing to all families, regardless of income, as well as to provide life-enhancing services. To that end, we are initiating a mentoring program for our middle- and high school-students who are looking for career guidance and positive role models.

The Mentoring Effect study shows that with a mentor, young people who face an opportunity gap will set higher educational goals and be 55% more likely to attend college than those without mentors: an exciting prospect! Even better, since the program takes place on the mentees’ home turf, rather than at a school or off-site location, relationships will be more natural, holistic, and hopefully long-lasting.

Responsibilities include:

* Engaging mentee(s) in discussion about future goals, personal development, and overall wellbeing

* Listening enthusiastically and asking quality questions

* Encouraging students in their pursuits and offering advice

* Helping with homework, résumés, or job applications as needed

Mentors will meet with their mentee at least twice a month in the community room at our beautiful apartment complex in Lancaster, and will be given support and training throughout their 4-month (one semester) commitment. Meeting dates are flexible, but must take place weekdays between 3:30 and 6 pm. Once established, they should be consistent, i.e. every 1st and 3rd Tuesday from 4:30 - 6:00 pm.

Join LINC Cares: learn about yourself through the eyes of the next generation, have fun, and help LINC improve the lives of low-income youth in your community!

How to Enroll:

To qualify as an Academic Mentor, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and submit to a background verification. Getting involved is as easy as 5 simple steps:

• Visit our website at http://www.linchousing.org/linccares/vol_form.html and complete the online application (write in "mentor" under Volunteer Opportunities),
• Receive confirmation of application and schedule an orientation appointment,
• Attend an orientation to meet on-site staff, receive a tour of the facility, and get an introduction to LINC and the responsibilities of its volunteers,
• Be invited to become a mentor with LINC,
• Say yes!

For more information, please contact Heather Pentecost at 562-684-1191 or hpentecost@linchousing.org