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For Mentors

POWER 4 Youth provides academic mentoring to at-risk middle and high school youth in Long Beach, communities.  Meeting at supervised locations, POWER 4 Youth volunteer mentors provide basic academic support and encourage scholastic achievement while mentoring youth in their self-development.   POWER 4 Youth was created by adults who saw a need for one-on-one caring in their communities.  Mentors provide support, encouragement and skill development to kids who want to succeed.  POWER 4 Youth is for all kids age 12 to 17.  The qualifications to be a mentor are a genuine interest in youth, the ability to listen non-judgmentally, dependability and the desire to give back to the community.  Free training and support create a successful experience for both the youth and adult.  Mentors come from all professions and walks of life.

Mentoring pairs meet weekly at supervised sites to work on homework, improve study skills, play educational games, develop life-success skills (such as time management and conflict resolution) and attend quarterly field trips. Field trips to places such as the Latin American Museum of Art keep learning interesting, and introduce the youth to the resources around them.  POWER 4 Youth adds new mentoring pairs each month.

POWER 4 Youth mentoring year follows the school year.  Pairs may be recruited and matched anytime during the year, and continue to meet through July (the end of the school year).  Mentoring sessions begin again the first of September, with the start of the new school year. 

Currently, four  sites are located in the Long Beach communities.  Each location serves youth from the neighborhood, as well as students from surrounding cities. 

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a mentor and what do they do?
Who are kids I will be mentoring?
How much time does it take?
What if I want to spend more time with my student?
How long is the commitment to be a mentor?
Are there other opportunities to help POWER 4 Youth without being a mentor?
Do I have to belong to the church to volunteer?

What is a mentor and what do they do?
Mentors are concerned adults who possess a sense of moral responsibility and a desire to share themselves by passing on their wisdom and skills to a younger person.  When they meet with their student, they act as friends.  They share academic and professional information and experiences.  By sharing time, they are saying, “You are worth my time and effort because you are a valuable human being, and I can help show you ways to expand your horizons and increase the likelihood that you will succeed.”

Who are kids I will be mentoring?
POWER 4 Youth serves boys and girls age 12 to 17 from local neighborhoods.  Students enter the program typically when they are in the 7^th or 8^th grades.

How much time does it take?
POWER 4 Youth mentors meet weekly for 1½ hours with their students.  Pairs meet at regularly set times and days each week at the church site.  Additionally, the mentor may need to make phone contact during the week with the student, his/her parent, teacher, counselor or the Program Coordinator.

What if I want to spend more time with my student?
Initially, contact outside of the designated times are discouraged.  This has to do mainly with liability and safety concerns.  Also, the first months of the relationship are spent getting to know each other--something that can be best facilitated in a supervised setting.  However, mentors should talk this over with the Program Coordinator if there is a real desire to spend additional time together. 

How long is the commitment to be a mentor?
Adults and students who participate in the program commit to the academic school year.  If a mentor joins after school has begun, s/he commits to complete that school year (through July).  Each summer, adults and students meet with the Program Coordinator, and may renew their commitment to continue another year.

Are there other opportunities to help POWER 4 Youth without being a mentor?
You bet!  Assisting with food or site set-up, coordinating volunteers’ schedules, helping with publicity, fund development, phone calling or speaker’s bureau are just some of the many volunteer opportunities available in a capacity other than mentor.

Do I have to belong to the church to volunteer?
No.  Although POWER 4 Youth meets at church sites, mentors (and youth) come from all backgrounds, and there is no religious affiliation requirement.