Become a Mentor
You Can Make a Difference in the Life of a Child
The Northcoast Mentor Program is currently seeking dedicated volunteers to become a mentor in Humboldt County. Applicants must be at least 16 years old, be able to commit for one year, and pass a criminal background check.
Humboldt youth are waiting! For information about local mentor opportunities that fit your interests and schedule, e-mail the Mentor Ambassadors and let them know you're interested. We will contact you to schedule an appointment.
After a screening interview, the Northcoast Mentor Program will connect you with the member of our coalition of agencies that is the best match for you.
Mentor Intake Form - PDF
What Makes You a Good Mentor
You have life experiences in learning and working with others that qualify you to be a mentor. Sharing your interests with a young person is the beginning of mentoring. The object of mentoring is to encourage the total growth of a younger, less experienced person whose needs and interests are the mentor's primary consideration in the friendship.
Mentors Are Role Models
You model appropriate behavior and attitudes by being a person the youth admires. Your interactions together teach your mentee what it means to be an adult and expands their perspective and definition of adulthood.
Mentors Build On the Positive
Whenever possible, You approach the issues and problems that may arise from activities in a positive light by building on related strengths that the youth may have demonstrated. For example, if reading is a problem, mentors can start by reading things in which the mentee is intereste3d and expand from there.
You can be the one to help youth make the connection between their present actions and their goals for the future. For example, if a mentee dreams of graduating from high school with his or her classmates, mentors can point out how skipping school today will affect the chances of completing school on schedule. Mentors can also bring in examples of struggles and successes that are real to youth about a hero or a local community leader.
Mentors Turn Experiences into Learning Opportunities
You can keep an eye out for learning opportunities and "teachable moments." If a mentee expresses an interest in someone or something, mentors help him or her develop the interest further. For example, if a young person expresses an interest in local politics, mentors can take him or her to hear a city council meeting. From there you can begin to think of other ways to transform a casual interest into other learning experiences using your time, energy, and perhaps, connections.
Mentors Help Raise Self-Esteem in Mentees
You encourage youth by offering friendship, sharing life skills, and by providing positive reinforcement for participation and achievement. Mentors act as "resource brokers" by introducing their mentees to as many new opportunities as possible and helping them to access the resources in their community. Just by listening, establishing trust, and taking a young person seriously, adults help youth recognize their own self worth.