Do You Have What it Takes to Be a Mentor?
You might feel intimidated by the idea of becoming a mentor to a child at risk, thinking that you need some sort of professional experience or certification. But the truth is that some of the best mentors are people just like you, regular people who are empathetic and willing to give their time to help troubled children get on the right path.
Characteristics of a Good Mentor
A good mentor should:
- Care deeply about children at risk
- Acknowledge that children and teens deserve respect
- Accept the differences of others without judgment
- Be a good listener
- Be patient and compassionate
- Set a positive example
- Be able to spend time with their mentee on a regular basis
- Allow their mentee to find their own path toward success
- Seek outside assistance from professionals if a situation warrants it
- Be willing to drop everything to help if their mentee is in crisis
Other qualifications can be helpful, such as a background in child development, psychology, or education, but they aren’t necessary: The most important qualification is empathy.
Requirements to Become a Mentor
We don’t set the bar unreasonably high for our volunteers, but you will need to meet a few basic requirements.
- You must be over 21 years of age.
- You must meet with us for an interview and pass a criminal background check.
- You must be willing to take part in a few training sessions to help you get familiar with your role. We’ll help you get a better sense of the types of situations you might encounter, the challenges your mentee might face, and the resources you can call on to help them.
Are you ready to make a difference in the life of a child? If so, we’d be glad to have you on our team. Simply reach out to our mentoring coordinator to take the first step toward becoming a part of Kids Cause. We’ll help you get started from there.