Mentors

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BECOMING A

MENTOR

Mentoring is fun for adults and youth

FORGE mentors and mentors across the nation often share that they are learning things from their mentee and are having just as much fun as their mentee, maybe even more! Mentors love the opportunity to share their lives and their interests with their mentees. It’s refreshing to know that just living your life beside a young mentee can significantly shape their future, and yours too!

 

“As iron sharpens iron, So one man sharpens another.”

– Proverbs 27:17*

Mentoring is Simple

Mentoring is simple in that you just live life alongside your mentee, doing everyday things and talking about topics of the day – sharing your interests and life-learnings, while listening to the heart of your mentee. The hardest part is building trust, sometimes the mentee has been through a rough life and needs a little time to open up and realize that you are there for them, no matter what.

Forge Supports and Equips

Do you care for kids? Like to be an encouragement? Have interests you could share? Possess experiences that might help a young person? Do you feel like you don’t have all the answers but just want to be of help? Then YOU are a perfect candidate to be a mentor!

 

You don’t have to know everything or be perfect. A mentor is simply an adult friend. All you need is a willing heart and FORGE will help you with training, great tools, guidance, and ongoing support to be a successful mentor!

Mentor Application (Spanish)
Mentor Application (English)

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FAQ’s

What does a Mentor do?

Mentors meet once a week with their mentee for a minimum of an hour, participating in activities of your choice. Hobbies, sports, crafts, errands, meals, walks… you name it!

How do I get matched and who with?

After successful completion of the application process, we look at kids with common interests, needs that match your strengths and experiences, and your requested age range. At that point, we email you a little information about the young person that our team believes is the best fit, and we wait for your approval. If you don’t agree, no problem. We’ll send you a second option.

Does the mentee want to participate, or is someone making them?

All mentees have chosen, on their own, to commit at least one year to this mentoring friendship. If a young person has been referred, but is not interested, we will not accept them into the program.

How long is my commitment?

We ask that the mentor and mentee commit to at least one calendar year of meeting weekly. We also confirm that the parent/guardian will fully support this mentor match for the same period. We understand that some weeks will be missed due to illness, schedule conflict, holidays, and emergencies.

Am I safe? Am I insured?

Yes, because of our stringent intake process of both mentor and mentee, we have full confidence in the quality of each participant. Our match behavior and activity guidelines provide a clear and safe path for your mentor friendship, while our ongoing match support offers accountability, perspective from all participants (mentee, mentee parent/guardian, and mentor), and coaching with possible redirection. Forge Youth Mentoring is fully insured, as are the mentors and volunteers participating in our program, as they properly follow our clear guidelines and standards.

How do I qualify?

Attend a Mentor INFO Meeting, complete the application, secure 4 references, participate in a face-to-face interview, and complete a national background check. We ask that all mentors agree to our Mentor Standards and Guidelines.

Do I have what it takes? What if I’m not sure I can do it?

Yes, if you’re taking the time to read this and God seems to be laying it on your heart, we believe that you have what it takes. Kids are looking for caring and genuine adults, not some super guru or perfect adult. They want someone who will be there for them and offer patience. We all have doubts but consider the alternative for the kids who lack positive and caring adults. We’d love to have you join us for a mentor INFO Meeting where you can find out more and talk with our team members. Feel free to call us anytime.

What if I have a question or concern about my mentor match?

The strength of our program is the ongoing support and training of our mentors. Each mentor match is assigned a Match Support Coach who will check in regularly to make sure things are going well and address any concerns. At any time, if you have questions, your Match Support Coach and/or our Forge team is there to help! We want to make sure you are always feeling confident and encouraged.