Building Bridges Mentoring Program - Make a Difference!

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Many of us remember a time in our lives when we had someone to look up to, be that a teacher, a parent, a relative, an older friend, or a coach. All of these people that helped guide you and grow you were mentors! The unfortunate truth is that one in three young people in the U.S. will grow up without a mentor. By becoming a mentor, you can help bridge that gap and have fun too!

Building Bridges is a new local mentoring program which was developed to serve youth, ages 10-16, in the Kensington neighborhood areas. The structure of the program was designed based on the body of research done on effective mentoring programs, with the overall goal of being able to promote positive youth development. All of our mentors are asked to commit to a 1 year mentoring relationship and to be available to meet with their mentee in person weekly. We help our mentors obtain their applicable clearances, provide a 6 hour training before being matched, and offer weekly support from our mentoring coordinator. Our leadership team is committed to helping support our mentors so that they can be effective in their mentoring relationships.

Qualifications/Requirements:

· Must be at least 18 years old

· Have excellent communication skills-especially in the area of listening

· Recognize and accept the diversity of others

· Demonstrate the ability to interact with youth between the ages of 10-16

· Enjoy interacting with an array of personalities without being judgmental

· Can and does seek out appropriate counsel when necessary

· Have a good sense of humor and a great deal of patience

· Willingness to accept supervision and direction

· Not under the supervision of any correctional system/program or probation

· At least one year of continuous sobriety if ever diagnosed with a substance use disorder

· Willingness to meet with up with at least one youth per week

Responsibilities:

· Attend mentoring orientation and training sessions

· Be a role model and serve as a resource person for all participants

· Assist participants in developing better coping and social skills

· Encourage participants to take advantage of community resources

· Meet with youth participants on a weekly basis

· Communicate with Mentor Coordinator on a weekly basis

· Respond to messages and requests from project staff within two days

· Practice training procedures and receive constructive feedback

· Participate in supervision meetings with Mentor Coordinator

· Relay any scheduling issues to the Mentor Coordinator

· Assist participants and their family to attend group mentoring functions

· Report concerns about youth or other concerns to Mentor Coordinator immediately

· Participate in program evaluation through surveys and focus groups

amy@buildingbridgesmentoring.com

http://www.buildingbridgesmentoring.com

Please visit our website or e-mail Amy, Mentoring Director, directly for more information or an application if interested.

Training Provided

Language/Cultural Support Available