WBAY-TV Green Bay-Fox Cities-Northeast Wisconsin NewsHow to Become a Mentor

How to Become a Mentor

What is a MENTOR anyway ?

Our community is better off when you take time to mentor a young person. Because mentored teens are 46% less likely to get into drugs; 59% get better grades; 73% raise their goals. In fact, mentoring is one of the most powerful ways to combat the growing disconnection between people in our society. Disconnection, an underlying factor in our communities' problems, hits young people the hardest.

Mentoring is connection. Thousands of children in our community are eager to connect with adults who are willing to listen to them and be there for them. There are many ways to mentor-- long-term or short, with a variety of organizations.

Here's How to Get Started

Think about how you want to work with a young person. Consider:

• The types of activities that interest you... helping youth develop a specific skill, pursue an interest, or learn about a subject, or just getting to know them and being their friend.
  
• The age and number of youth you want to work with... elementary, middle school, or high school age children; one youth or several-- for example, mentoring one child one-on-one versus coaching a group of young people.
  
• The amount of time you have for a youth... once a week? once or twice a month?

It is important to be realistic about the responsibilities involved with mentoring a young person. If you are not sure about mentoring a young person for at least six months, consider trying a shorter-term volunteer opportunity. Keep in mind, however, what one mentor told us:

"You don't know in advance how rewarding it is going to be, so you are worried about the responsibility of giving your time consistently. The irony is that once I started doing it, I didn't want to miss a session."

Review a list of mentoring opportunities. Call at least three organizations on the list. Investigate your options and choose the program that meets your needs.

• Ask to speak with the organization's volunteer coordinator.
  
• Tell the coordinator you are thinking about mentoring a young person-- or a group of young people-- and would like to know if their organization offers mentoring opportunities for adults.
  
• Describe the amount of time you have, the types of activities you are interested in, the number of children you would like to work with.
  
• Ask the coordinator about training and support for volunteers and about the application and screening process. The application process will probably include a written application, personal and professional references, a background check, and a personal interview.

Be persistent. It may take a while to be matched with a child. Application, screening, and training can take from one to six months to complete. Mentoring programs are concerned with the well-being and safety of children and volunteers, and their selection and screening procedures reflect that concern.

Please don't get discouraged if a program can not match your needs. If that happens, ask if they can refer you to another organization. The rewardsare well worth the effort, so hang in there and keep trying!