Are you interested in becoming a mentor?
The Guardian Scholars Foundation is looking for professional adults living in the communities around Iowa colleges who are interested in donating their time and wisdom to our scholars.
What becoming a mentor entails -
Our mentoring program is individualized based on the choice the scholar makes on their level of involvement. The majority of former foster youth have had adults monitoring their lives for many years and the Foundation in no way wishes to mirror this forced relationship. We match each student with a mentor for many reasons:
Mentors give the scholar someone locally on which to depend.
Many students do not have persons in the state, let alone the community, who would drive them to the DMV in order for the student to get their license or someone who could pick them up on the side of the road should their car break down.
Mentors have life skills that many of the young adults have not yet developed.
Mentors are able to share tips for a successful job interviews or how to open a checking account at a bank. Additionally, stable adults are able to think clearly in emergencies and take the next steps or call the correct people to work on the problem.
Mentors have the experience to serve as guides in the scholar's developing career path.
College students nationwide, no matter where they come from, spend their time in college making decisions in order to determine what career they will choose. Professional adults who have spent time in the work force have an understanding, or may know individuals who do, of how certain jobs may lead to others or what certifications would be necessary to gain a position. The Guardian Scholars Foundation always works to match mentors who are knowledgeable about the area in which the student believes that they would like to work so that they are able to provide succinct and helpful advice when necessary.
What Guardian Scholars Is looking for in a mentor -
In general, the Foundation is looking for individuals who are willing to "be there" for the student when they need help. At a minimum, a mentor is required to call and check in on the student once a month to see how the student's grades are, how they are doing in their new environment, etc. Again, it is the scholar's decision how involved they would like to become. However, and like the majority of matches the Foundation has made, Guardian Scholars greatly encourages the mentor and student to develop a relationship in which the student feels comfortable asking for a ride to the bus station, for career advice, and more.
Above all, mentors must be dependable. They must be a steadfast constant in the student's life. They must be willing to make time for the student when asked. A mentor must remember to be compassionate and considerate toward the young adult.
If you are interested in becoming a mentor please contact guardian scholars through the contact us page on the website.
Please note, for the safety of the Guardian Scholars, a criminal and sexual abuse background check will be run on all mentors participating in the program.