Dear Mentor/Volunteer,
Mentoring is the single most powerful human tool. By volunteering an average of just one hour a week, you have the power to transform a child’s life into a happier, healthier and more successful one. This is accomplished through providing support, friendship, reinforcement, opportunity, and constructive examples.
In order to be eligible to apply to be a mentor, you must:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be willing to adhere to all policies and procedures
- Agree to a one-year commitment to the program
- Commit to spending a minimum of five hours a month with the mentee or a minimum average of one hour a week
- Complete the screening procedure
- Agree to attend mentor trainings as required
- Be willing to communicate regularly with the program coordinator and submit monthly meeting and activity information
- Have a current driver’s license, auto insurance, and good driving record
- Have a clean criminal history where you were never accused, arrested, charged, or convicted of child abuse or molestation
- Have never been convicted of a felony. If the applicant has been convicted of a felony, then they may be considered only after a period of seven years with demonstrated good behavior and an appropriate and corrective attitude regarding past behaviors.
- Not be a user of illicit drugs
- Not use alcohol or controlled substances in an excessive or inappropriate manner
- Not use alcoholic beverages 24 hours prior to meeting with mentees
In order to provide you with the tools to be the best mentor and develop a lasting friendship with your mentee, we have the following application process. (Our organization, the mentor, and the child and parent/guardian enter into this process voluntarily and no one is under any obligation to proceed with the process.)
1. Submit a written application that includes:
- Consent forms
- Personal and employment references
2. Participate in twelve hours of mentor training* that includes:
- Policies and Procedures
- The Impact of Incarceration on Child Development
- Family Dynamics
- Cultural Sensitivity
- The Value of Mentoring
- Positive Youth Development
* Training is free of charge and will be scheduled at various times and locations convenient to you. Some of the training may be completed on-line. At the conclusion of the training, the trainer will award you a Mentoring Certificate.
3. After the successful completion of the first portion of training, you will be asked to participate in a background check that includes criminal history and driving record. References provided on the application will be called at this time also.
4. After we have received your background information, you will be scheduled for a personal interview in a location convenient to you.
5. After all of your materials are reviewed, the final disposition of your application will be determined and you will receive a letter stating whether you have been accepted into the program.
6. At that time, we will begin to search our files for a child that we feel you will be successfully matched with. We will telephone you with a non-identifying description of the child. If you determine that this is a child you may want to be matched with, we contact the parent or guardian with a non-identifying description of you.
7. If you and the parent or guardian agree to pursue the match, a meeting will be scheduled between you, the parent/guardian and the child. At that meeting, match contracts and contact information will be explained, exchanged and signed.
8. You may then begin to schedule activities and build a lasting friendship with your mentee.
9. During the duration of the match, we coordinate monthly support and supervision contact with you, your mentee and the parent or guardian in order to lower the risk factors, strengthen the relationship, and help you with any issues you may encounter.
The children and the parents/guardians are required to participate in a similar application and screening process.
It is our goal to match you with a child as quickly as possible. If you feel that the process is delayed or you have questions, please do not hesitate to check in with us.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor, please click on the Register Now button above or contact Cathy Canterino, Mentoring Coordinator at HPR, at 908-782-3909 or
ccanterino@hunterdonprevention.com. If submitting an online request, in the Comments field, please provide how you heard about our mentoring program.
Thank you.