Become a Mentor: Guiding Light Mentoring

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Are you ready to make a real difference for a child? Become a mentor today. Do you want to make a concrete difference in a child's life? Are you ready to work with parents and professionals to identify what activities will make the biggest difference? Then consider becoming a mentor with Guiding Light. Guiding Light facilitates focused mentoring, where the mentor, parent and child work towards mutually agreed upon goals - so you know you're making the most important impact on a child's life. Consider volunteering with us today!

Guiding Light is a mentoring organization dedicated to serving youth ages 8-18 in the Greater Cincinnati area by providing positive role models, teaching relationship skills, and developing moral character.

Our mission is to provide youth with guidance, support, and encouragement to make positive decisions that lead to a successful life.

A Mentor is a caring, responsible, adult volunteer who serves as a trusted friend and guide to youth by developing a supportive relationship with them. S/he helps to ensure that the mentee develops important academic and life skills, is exposed to new opportunities and a wide array of resources, makes positive life choices, stays in school, and graduates with a plan for pursuing post-secondary education or employment.

Qualifications:
* Be 21 years of age;
* Have earned a high school diploma;
* Submit an application, 2 forms of reference, a copy of a photo ID and an auto insurance card;
* Pass a criminal background check;
* Successfully complete an interview for a mentor position;
* Sincere desire to be personally involved with another person to help him or her achieve personal and career goals; and
* Participate and attend training and periodic training as required and needed.

Mentor Responsibility to the Mentee:
* Make a minimum of one year commitment to developing and maintaining a mentor relationship with the mentee;
* Spend (4) four hours a month engaged in a mutually agreed-upon activity with the mentee, e.g. visiting the mentee in the home, at school;
* Communicate with their mentee weekly-by telephone or in person-to keep in touch about what is going on in their lives;
* Honor, all commitments made to the mentee;
* Ability to communicate with mentee openly and nonjudgmentally;
* Strong listening skills;
* Ability to establish a relationship based on equal responsibility and respect;
* Sensitivity to persons of different educational, economic, cultural or racial backgrounds;
* Be respectful of the mentee's time, opinions, and decision-making;
* Serve as a positive role model by modeling desirable behaviors-e.g. patience, tolerance, and reflective listening;
* Be encouraging and supportive of the mentee and
* Assist mentee in solving problems that interfere with mentee's success at home, school and other social settings




Seeking Female Volunteers: Yes

Seeking Male Volunteers: Yes

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

Type of Mentoring: One-to-One, Group

Youth Population Served: Academically At-Risk, Adjudicated/court involved, First-Generation College, Foster, Residential or Kinship Care, General Youth Population, Homeless/Runaway, Incarcerated Parent, LGBTQ Youth, Low Income, Mental Health Issues, Pregnant/Parenting, School Drop-Out, Single-Parent Household, Youth with Disabilities

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

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