Mentors Plus
Adult volunteers are matched with children age 5-16 on a one-to-one mentoring basis. Adult applicants are screened and trained through Oakland County Youth Assistance prior to placement with a Novi youth. Additional training and consultation are provided throughout the match period. Each adult volunteer is asked to commit 1-2 hours per week with a match for at least one year. In addition, group and countywide activities are held.
A little time each week. A little caring. A little piece of yourself, reserved just for a special kid who needs it. The mentoring program, sponsored by Oakland County Youth Assistance has been matching caring adults with young people who need them since 1973. Thousands of "matches" have been made, many of which have grown into lasting friendships.
Mentors Plus... Plus What?
Plus FUN. Being a mentor is an important contribution, and it's a serious responsibility. But it's also a lot of fun. Your time together can include anything from sharing a movie to taking a walk to hitting a baseball. The important thing is the time, and the good feelings it brings to you both.
Plus SHARING. Sure, you'll be strangers at first. But before long, you'll be surprised at what you can share. Thoughts, and ideas, and likes and dislikes. And, most importantly, you'll be sharing a bit of yourself with someone who can benefit from your responsible example.
Plus FRIENDS. You'll not only gain one very special young friend, you'll also have opportunities to meet other volunteers and their matches, as well as members of your own local Mentors Plus volunteer advisory committee. They share your concern for kids, and they'll welcome you warmly into their ongoing efforts to help make childhood and the teen years secure and positive.
Plus RESULTS. You know that mentoring sounds like a great idea. But did you know that it actually works? Reliable statistics from a long-term mentoring program say that, after only 18 months, youngsters who met with their mentors an average of three times per month were 46 percent less likely than a control group to start using drugs, 27 percent less likely to start drinking, 53 percent less likely to skip school, and 37 percent less likely to skip a class. They also were more confident in their schoolwork, less likely to hit someone, and doing better within their families.
Just think... Only a few hours each month can have an impact that dramatic. Can you think of a better way to spend time?
Click here to learn more ...
Click here for Mentors Plus Application Packet
For questions or to apply to be a mentor in the Mentors Plus program, please contact:
Julie Stitt
Oakland County Circuit Court – Family Division, Youth Assistance Mentors Plus
1200 N Telegraph Road Bldg 14 East, Pontiac MI 48341-0452
248-858-0041