Mentors
Mentors Make The Difference
Did you know that in New Jersey more than 7,000 students drop out of school each year? Most of these students drop out in the 9th or 10th grade citing attendance as the number one reason. These individuals, for many reasons, generally do not have positive role models to help guide them in making good decisions concerning their future. As a mentor you can make a difference. Get started today by submitting a mentor application.
The Process
Mentoring is crucial to the success of the NJ Youth ChalleNGe Academy. The Academy uses a Youth Initiated Mentoring match. When applicants apply to the program they identify potential Mentors from their local community. Mentors are formally screened and trained prior to ceremonial matching with their Mentees to begin fostering their newly defined relationship and communication about the Cadet’s future plans.
Once formally matched, the Cadet and Mentor are allowed to spend off-site time together, often performing service to community or exploring job and school options. The mentoring relationship forms the core of a youth’s Post-Residential ChalleNGe experience. It is within the safety of this relationship that a young person can evaluate what was learned in ChalleNGe and apply it to real life.
Qualifications To Be A Mentor
- Be at least 21 years old and the same gender as the candidate.
- Be able to successfully pass a criminal background check.
- Can not live in the same house as the candidate, be the girlfriend/boyfriend’s parent, the employer of the candidate, or his/her parent or guardian.
- Capable of being a role model who demonstrated by example the types of life-skills, work-ethics and attitudes needed to be a productive member of society.
Questions
Email the Recruiting / Placement / Mentoring office at rpm@dmava.nj.gov.
