Mentoring is the presence of a caring individual who, along with parents and/or guardians, provides youth with support, advice, friendship, encouragement, reinforcement and a constructive example to help youth succeed! They are committed individuals who volunteer one hour per week of their time to better the life of someone else and help them move forward in life and gain wonderful internal assets. They agree to complete an application/screening process to ensure the safety of our youth! They are committed, persistent, patient, and positive! They are men, women, youth, single, married individuals who believe they can make a difference with one person at a time!

Impact Mentoring programs:

Community-Based Mentoring:

• Matches meet for a minimum of one hour per week and a minimum of one year.
• Mentors pick up their mentees once a week from their home and/or Youth Emergency Services, Inc.
• They can do various activities with their mentee in the community and help their mentees develop skills essential to overcoming issues young people face these days.
• Mentors must be able to pass and complete the screening process, follow all policies and procedures, and be 21 years of age or older.

Hi-5 Mentoring:

• High school students gain valuable leadership skills, give back to the community and make a difference in the life of a teen in junior high.
• Mentors in this program meet their mentees at the junior high schools. They meet the same weekday in the afternoon for a two-hour period and for one academic school year (October—May).
• Designed to help younger mentees develop skills essential to addressing bullying, substance abuse, truancy, peer pressure, increased academics, and many more troublesome issues young people face.
• The two hours are broken into two parts; the first part is the implementation of the curriculum as a group, and the second part mentors break off into one-to-one time with their mentees.
• Mentors must be able to pass and complete the screening process and follow all policies and procedures, and be between the ages of 15-18.
• Scholarships are available to high school students to apply for when they complete a year commitment, and letters or recommendation can be given for students entering college!

School-Based Mentoring:

• Matches in this program meet at a local school.
• They meet the same afternoon of the week for an academic school year (September—May).
• Mentors in this program can participate in various activities within and help implement essential skills and tools to help their mentee overcome topics such as bullying, substance abuse, and truancy.
• Mentors must be able to pass and complete the screening process, follow all policies and procedures, and be 18 years of age or older.

Lunch Buddies:

• Lunch Buddies is a great program for college students and interested adults to form positive relationships with elementary students around the lunch table.
• Statistics show us that mentoring around the lunch table can build a child’s self-esteem and increase their social connections between them and their peers.
• Matches meet for one lunch/recess for one hour per week for an academic year.
• Scholarships to college students are available to apply for when they complete an entire school year with the same student.

Buddies with Badges:

• Fire Fighters and Police Officers meet with kids at lunchtime to form positive relationships with elementary students around the lunch table.
• Mentors commit one lunch/recess for one hour per week for an academic year.

Mentor Me!:

• The child to choose a mentor from their own natural supports.
• Mentors in this program commit to meet with their mentees for a minimum of one hour per week and a minimum of one year.
• Mentors pick up their mentees once a week from their home and/or Youth Emergency Services, Inc and can do various activities.
• Mentors must be able to pass and complete the screening process, follow all policies and procedures, and be 21 years of age or older.

Creative Writing Club:

• A club that allows kids to interact and learn while having fun. Meets every other Thursday and is presented by a professional writer through Skype.
• This group allows kids who love to write or are struggling with writing to express themselves and have a greater understanding of writing.

Please consider volunteering to become a mentor today. The rewards of making a difference in the life of someone else is irreplaceable and the need is great! We have a large waiting list of children in the community wanting a positive friend to support and encourage them!