Mission Statement
The mission of the Heart Gallery Mentor Program is to bring enthusiastic, dedicated, caring adult members of our community and unite them with youth in foster care. To provide someone who can be a friend, who will encourage and support them through the various transitions in their life. To help instill independence, confidence and everyday life skills they will need.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
The Heart Gallery Mentor program was created to provide one-on-one mentoring relationships for youth who are living in foster care. Youth are matched with an adult volunteer mentor who has similar interests, by spending time together forming a friendship. We ask that the mentor spend approximately 10 hours a month with the youth doing things like: visiting parks, sports activities, watching a movie, doing homework, or talking about what life has to offer the child. These are just examples; many more options available. The mentor and the mentee will decide what activities to do together to build a lasting bond. The mentoring program is designed to bring stable, long-term relational support to foster youth. Mentoring relationships can provide stable emotional support, increase self sufficiency and expose foster youth to new cultures and experiences, thus broadening their vision of "what could be" in their lives.
For additional information: Application process and matching process, click here
Program Goals:
- Unite caring adult members of the community with youth in the foster care system to build friendships and positive role models.
- For the mentor and mentee to spend time together building a lasting relationship, by this the youth would have an adult able to listen, support and give guidance.
- Increase the number of foster youth who complete high school, enroll in post-secondary school, and find stable employment and housing.
- To provide support and a consistent connection to foster youth, that they may transition successfully from adolescents to adulthood.
- Educate the foster youth, through the mentor, about their options in education, housing and employment.
- Help the foster youth and the mentor develop a strong, long term connection. Having someone to call “just because”.
- Teach independent living / life skills needed for a successful future in adulthood.
Mentoring makes a difference one child at a time.
Read the poetry about Mentoring:
The Need:
Recent data indicates that there are almost half a million children in the foster care system. The average age of a child in foster care is 9 years old; the average length of stay in foster care is 26 months, (AFCARS Report). In addition to the trauma caused by the disruption to their family and home environment, foster youth often have emotional and physical needs. Many are the victims of abuse or neglect. They may have trouble forming healthy relationships with adults and peers. Academics often suffer during out-of-home placements. Even the most resilient child can be thrown into a pattern of depression, self-doubt, and isolation when faced with the world of foster care. Because of the disruption in their lives and the loss of support, foster youth need many things. This is where mentors can play a valuable role.
A Mentor can be many things to a foster youth:
- A stable adult – Foster youth are often overwhelmed with the rotating cast of caseworkers, foster parents, clinicians, legal advocates, and other professional adults that may be a part of their team. A mentor serves as a continuous source of support.
- A positive role model – Foster youth need positive relationships with adults they can learn from and grow with. Mentors can model appropriate behavior, provide guidance and advice and enable foster youth to form healthy relationships with adults they trust.
- A source of happiness – In addition to the practical roles mentioned above, a mentor can also bring joy and fun to a foster youth’s life. Simply bringing some laughter and entertainment to a foster youth’s day can help foster normalcy in childhood experiences.
Mentoring makes a big difference: When kids enjoy a regular, positive activity with an adult over the course of a year, those kids are 46% less likely to begin using drugs, 27% less likely to begin using alcohol, and 52% less likely to skip school. This decreases drug-related suspensions, drug related crime, and the number of babies born drug-affected. Children guided by positive role models are more likely to improve their academic performance, make better decisions, have more self confidence, and a sense of belonging. Foster youth with a mentor tend to have better relationships with parents/caregivers, teachers and peers. They are also more likely to attend and graduate from college.
Caseworker Forms:
Volunteer Forms:
