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The Up Center

Cause Area

  • Children & Youth
  • Community
  • Veterans & Military Families

Location

Team Up Mentoring1805 Airline Blvd.Portsmouth, VA 23707 United States

Website:

http://www.theupcenter.org
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Organization Information

Mission Statement

We envision a strong community in Eastern Virginia comprised of healthy children, healthy families, and healthy individuals of all ages. Simply stated, our mission is to help people live better lives.

Description

The Team Up mentoring program was formed to fill the gap created when Big Brothers/ Big Sisters of South Hampton Roads closed. The program matches adults age 20 and older with kids ages 6 to 17. The mentors serve as role models to youths, who often come from single parent homes or or foster care and who desire more time with a responsible, caring adult. There are two programs available:

Community Program -- This program requires a commitment of a few hours a week for one year. The mentor and child meet weekly to participate in everyday activities, such as playing basketball or going to the beach.

Face Forward Mentoring Program -- Mentor first time offenders ages 16-24 in a group setting for 3 1/2 months and one-on-one for the remainder of the year. The goal is help them not re-offend by sharing your life experiences and by offering support and encouragement.

Reviews

Would you recommend The Up Center?
6 reviews Write a review
by Camille M. (November 27, 2010)
Being a mentor with Team UP has been and continues to be a rewarding experience. Technically, a mentor is one who can help guide an individual's development. As time passes, it becomes much more than that and it's interesting to see how the relationship can turn into a friendship. I highly recommend becoming a mentor with Teamp UP if one is sincerely interested in making a positive change in a child's life. The satisfication of knowing how your difference makes an impact is priceless.
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by stacey r. (November 23, 2010)
It has been an amazing experience volunteering with this organization. It really doesn't even seem like volunteering...it seems like hanging out with a friend. :-) Not only has my mentee done some pretty cool things..but I have also done things I never really would have done. And there are so many children on the waiting list just so eager to have someone they can call a friend, a mentor, someone to look up to.
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by Chanel A. (November 11, 2010)
The Up Center is great in that they genuinely care about the mentor-mentee relationship. The staff members are passionate about what they do and they are helpful with the guidance they provide for mentors. I am glad I chose to volunteer with the Up Center! It has been great to see growth in my mentee over the last 4 months.
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by LM M. (November 3, 2010)
The Up Center provides outstanding support for the Team Up program. My mentee surprises me every week in new ways - I love watching her grow, and love the privilege of being a part of it. If you have a love for children or desire to make a difference in the future of a child, the program will provide everything else, including training, support, and free activities for you and your mentee.
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by Brittany R. (November 2, 2010)
I have been mentoring for almost a year now and it has been great. Knowing the difference I'm making in a child's life is a great feeling. The staff is dedicated to helping both the mentor and the mentee to the extent of their ability. They don't just randomly throw two people together and hope it works. They try to match personality and similar interests to get a true connection.
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by tina m. (November 2, 2010)
The Up Center is a great way to connect with a child. The committment is not overwhelming-once a week for a couple of hours for a year. I was nudged into it by a co-worker initially and have been mentoring for 5 months. It has been a really great experience...a chance to do fun kid like things and I feel I am making a difference for a child in a positive way.
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