Florence Crittenton – Volunteer Mentor

Position Description

Program Summary: Volunteer mentors are matched with young mothers from our program, and together they forge a meaningful adult relationship. In mentoring at Florence Crittenton Home and Services, the relationship you create could possibly change a young woman’s life forever. Being a mentor is not the same for everyone. Each relationship is different, because every person is unique. After the application and training process, you will be matched with a Florence Crittenton client. The match team consists of the mentee, the mentor, the Case Manager, the Clinical Team, and the Volunteer Coordinator, who is responsible for the on-going oversight of the match. We offer each mentor regular check in’s with the clinical supervisor so that mentors may receive connection, resources, and support as they build their mentoring relationship. All mentors will be required to interview for the mentor position.

Mentors Do:
 Suspend judgments and unconditionally care for a young mother, the way she is.
 Show they care, just by calling, sharing time, and giving verbal feedback or praise.
 Provide emotional support and a listening ear.
 Enhance the young mother’s feelings of self-worth.
 Exhibit a standard of behavior by modeling honesty, truth, and respect for others.
 Assume a leadership role and support clients in healthy and appropriate contact with mentor.
 Practice consistency, dependability, and honesty with everyone – especially their mentees.
 Commit to the match relationship for at least as long as the girl remains at FCHS.
 Communicate regularly and in a timely manner with the Clinical Supervisor.
 Attend pre-service and in-service trainings.
 Maintain confidentiality at all times.
 Understand and be able to have healthy boundaries with mentees.
 Reach out to supervisor if have questions or need support around difficulties with mentee.
 Regularly engage in self-care.

Mentors Do Not:
 Replace a parent, teacher, babysitter, or therapist.
 Take on all the clients needs.
 Solicit donations on behalf of Florence Crittenton without the express permission of the Director of Programs.

Qualifications:

Our mentors are at least 25 years old, have held a steady job for the past year, and have a stable safe place to live. Mentors must also be in a healthy stable place emotionally and in life where they feel like they can give back, support individuals with trauma, while maintaining healthy boundaries and support. All mentors will pass criminal, child protective services, and motor vehicle background checks.

Commitment:

This is an on-going commitment, and participants must agree to mentor a young mom for the duration of her stay at Florence Crittenton, or until the mentee decides she no longer wishes to receive mentor services. The average stay is 4-12 months. We hope that mentors will spend time with their mentee each week, totaling approximately 6-12 hours per month.

FCHS reserves the right to immediately end the mentor/mentee relationship at anytime and without notice, if it is determined the mentor services are no longer in the best interest of the client, if mentor relationship is impeding clients treatment progress, if at any time mentor relationship becomes inappropriate in any nature, or for any other reason at the discretion of the Executive Director.