About YouthBuild Mentoring
Mentoring is one of the many services—including academic coursework, vocational training, and leadership development—provided by your local YouthBuild program. YouthBuild mentors are caring adults from the community who volunteer their time to work directly with students as they pursue their educational and career goals. We feel our mentors are one of the critical supports in helping our students get the most out of the program and continuing on a positive path once they transition out of YouthBuild.
Who are our students?
Our students are young men and women ages 16-24 who have previously dropped out of school and are returning to get their diploma or GED and learn skills for success in their career and life. Many have been in trouble with the law, in the foster care system, or the victim of abuse or exploitation. Most of them have made the decision to “flip the script” on their life, working toward a brighter future for themselves, their family, and their community.
Why do YouthBuild students need mentors?
Behind every successful adult is at least one mentor who helped them overcome a challenge or opened their world to new possibilities. If you reflect on your own life, you will surely think of many caring adults outside your immediate family who helped support you at various points along the way. Mentors inspire us, teach us, challenge us to be better people and achieve our goals.
Unfortunately, many of the young people who come to YouthBuild lack these positive role models in their lives. They may have found negative role models in the absence of positive individuals. While they meet many caring adults during their time in YouthBuild, a mentor from the community is uniquely positioned to provide positive support to the youth when and where they need it the most: In the community. YouthBuild mentors enhance the work of our staff and provide additional support to our students as they take the next steps in their lives.
Who serves as YouthBuild mentors?
Our mentors come from all walks of life. We do not require any special skills or abilities, but we do ask that mentors meet our minimum requirements:
- Participate in our mentor screening and training process
- Meet with students a minimum of four hours per month
- Participate in occasional group activities and service projects
- Be a caring, consistent, honest, enthusiastic, and supportive role model for a student
What do mentors and students do together?
Mostly, have a lot of fun! They usually meet in the community at times that are convenient for both the student and the mentor. Often they will do an activity related to the student’s Life Plan, a guiding document that helps the youth set goals in the areas of education, career, family, finances, health, and personal relationships. This might include looking into colleges, exploring a career, or learning how to stick to a budget or become a better cook. But there is also plenty of room for just hanging out, talking about life, and simply having fun together. Occasionally, mentors and students will also take part in service projects or other group activities that lend a bit more structure to the relationship. But mostly, you and your student will work together to come up with activities that work for both of you.
Mentor eligibility requirments
- Must be over 21 years of age
- Must complete an application
- Attend a face to face interview session
- Pass criminal record and child abuse registry checks
- employment and personal reference checks
Benefits
- Guide young adults towards achieving their education and career goals
- Enhance growth by modeling good values and judgment
- Learn about your community, its diversity and its future
- Have a positive impact on young adults within your community
On behalf of the young people we serve, thank you for considering stepping up to the challenge of helping students achieve their goals and improve our community.
For more information, please contact us at
541-526-1380 or madeline.cunningham@heartoforegon.org.
