HOW TO GET STARTED

Why Mentor?

Mentoring not only helps the child you mentor, but it gives you a great experience. Volunteering as a mentor requires a significant commitment of your time and energy, but it is a fun and enjoyable way to spend your valuable time, with the added benefit of helping others. - Mentoring.org

You have made a wonderful and very important decision in choosing to become a mentor. If you've reached this conclusion, you've done enough research to have an idea how different each mentoring situation can be.

Before you start to look at the Mentoring Program Directory, you should think about and identify your own interests and needs.

Finding a mentoring program you are excited and comfortable with can require some time and thought, but the good news is that there's something for everyone. The following steps will help walk you through the process of choosing a mentoring program that is right for you.

To help you decide which type of mentoring program you want to be involved in, ask yourself the following questions:

• What time commitment can I make?
• What age of youth would I like to work with?
• Would I like to work with one child or with a group of children?
• Would I like to team with other adults to mentor a child or a group of children?
  
• What types of activities interest me? Do I want to help a youth learn a specific skill, pursue an interest, help with schoolwork, or maybe just be a caring adult friend?
• What location would I like to work in?

While thinking about these questions, remember to be open and flexible to all the different mentoring programs and focuses that are out there.

Another important first step is to attend a mentor training class. If the program you choose to join does not have a comprehensive mentor training program, free training sessions are available through Creative Mentoring. Training schedules are available at www.creativementoring.org.