Become a Mentor: Casa Chirilagua Mentoring Program

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- Our goal for our mentoring program is to provide our youth with a stable adult relationship who gives them access to opportunities and experiences that help them reach their full potential.
- Our mentors commit to one year (preferably more) to a student who is in one of our programs.
- It is a 1-on-1 mentorship and is community based (mentor meets in the student's home, public space, parks, etc.) and mentor meets for a minimum of 1 hour per week (year round). We only serve youth who are in our Casa Chirilagua programs and live in the neighborhood of Chirilagua in Arlandria.
- The Mentoring Program is a combination of academic support with emotional development. Every mentorship is different because every student and mentor is different, therefore there is no curriculum.
- We require all mentors to go through background checks, transportation checks and an orientation. It takes about 2 months from your initial interview to be matched with a mentee.

Mentor Eligibility Requirements:

* Be at least 21 years of age
* Reside in the DC Metro area, the closer to Chirilagua the better
* Be willing to adhere to all Casa Chirilagua Mentoring Program policies and procedures
* Agree to a minimum one-year commitment to the program
* Commit to spending a minimum of one hour per week with the mentee
* Complete the screening procedure as outlined in the Casa Chirilagua Child Protection Policy (CPP)
* Agree to attend mentor trainings as required, including an Mentor Orientation, CPP Training and Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Training
* Be willing to communicate regularly with the program coordinator and monthly discuss mentoring progress
* Have access to an automobile or reliable transportation (if planning to drive mentee)
* Have a current driver's license, auto insurance, and good driving record
* Have a clean criminal history (as specified in the CPP), including:
o Have never been accused, arrested, charged, or convicted of child abuse or molestation
o Not be a convicted felon.
* Not be a user of illicit drugs
* Not use alcohol or controlled substances in an excessive or inappropriate manner
* Not be currently in treatment for substance abuse. If a substance abuse problem has occurred in the past the applicant must have completed a non-addictive period of at least five years
* Not have been hospitalized for a mental disorder in the past three years
* Not have falsified information during the course of the screening process



Seeking Female Volunteers: Yes

Seeking Male Volunteers: Yes

Minimum Match Commitment (in months): 12 months or longer

Type of Mentoring: One-to-One

Youth Population Served: Academically At-Risk, General Youth Population, Low Income, Recent Immigrant/Refugee, Single-Parent Household

Mentoring Program Goals: Career Exploration, Education/Academic Support, Friendship/Socialization, Healthy Behaviors, Reduce Recidivism

Ages of Youth Served: 7 and under, 8-10, 11-14, 15-18