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Mentor Expectations

The greatest expectation is consistency, perseverance and the interest to be a caring person in the life of a youth! You will be matched with a youth who has many adults fail him/her and who desperately needs you to "be there for her/him". You need to find about an hour a week, or more if you choose, to meet with the youth; listen, share ideas, encourage. You can go for a walk on the beach or the riverbed, watch a movie or go for a soda! Many of the youth have had limited experiences and a trip to a museum, an art show, a concert or a bookstore are special events for them. But the most important expectation of a mentor is for you to regularly and tenaciously contact your mentee to simply listen and show that you care.

This is a big commitment, not in time, but in caring. Research has shown that those youth who have had a mentor for more than six months start to change their negative habits. On the other hand, those youth who have a mentor and the mentor quits are worse than they were before they had a mentor! We ask that you commit to continuing with your youth until she/he graduates from high school. 

Can you ever go on vacation? What if you're retired and you want to take a two month vacation? No problem! Youth are very understanding. If you go on a vacation, even an extended one, just let your mentee know and send a post card or call occasionally. They'll love hearing about your trip and seeing the maps about where you've gone.

What if your life changes and you move? Youth also understand this. If you have established a good relationship with your mentee and he/she knows that you're moving ahead of time and that you'll keep her/him in your thoughts, but that you'll be unable to continue to meet with her/him regularly, we will close the match with a celebration of the good times you've had together. Many matches stay in contact many years after the match is officially closed. 

Applications can be Obtained In Room 10 at the High School at Break Lunch and After school