*Our mentoring services are currently on pause, check back for updates in the near future*
Here at D.A. Blodgett - St. John's we offer many different Group Mentoring opportunities and a Young Adult Mentoring one-on-one program in the hopes that we can support those who need it most. This program is unique because we are the only COA accredited mentoring program in West Michigan. As a mentor, you have the ability to make a lasting difference in the lives of youth, young adult, parents and families.
Who Are Our Mentors
Mentors at DABSJ are volunteers who provide mentoring to promote healthy parenting and support to kids/young adult ages 10-24. Our mentors are adult volunteers who commit to supporting someone in need.
Group Mentoring
Sometimes youth/young adults/parents have difficult things going on at home which affect their academic performance, social interactions, and self-esteem parenting skills. Group mentoring improves grades, builds confidence, and encourages mentees in other areas of their lives. As reported by teacher and volunteer surveys, most matched mentees show great improvement, while volunteers experience personal satisfaction.
Learn about our mentoring programs!
School Group - Mentoring
Sometimes youth have difficult things going on at home which affect their academic performance, social interactions, and self-esteem. Mentoring in the school setting improves grades, builds confidence, and encourages youth in other areas of their lives.
As reported by teacher and volunteer surveys, most matched students show great improvement, while volunteers experience personal satisfaction.
- Mentors meet with students at their school for one hour every other week, for a minimum of one school year.
- Groups occur during the school calendar only, and only meet on school campus
- Mentoring groups help students grow in areas such as social skill development and learning healthy responses to emotions.
- In our mentoring groups mentors and their youth build a friendship and may partake in developing social skills by playing games, doing crafts, and other activities during their hour.
- Ongoing social work and school support is available throughout the duration of the match.
Youth Empowerment
Would you like to sign your child up for Youth Empowerment mentoring We have limited space. Call Lisa for more information. 616.774.4310.
- Youth Empowerment is a group mentoring program meeting twice per month for 3 months.
- Youth Empowerment is open to youth 10-17 years old.
- Throughout this group mentoring program, each youth will be matched with a designated support person.
- This group will focus on independent skills as well as workforce development.
Young Adult Mentoring
Would you like to sign up for a mentor in our Young Adult mentoring We have limited space. Call Lisa for more information. 616.774.4310
- Young Adult mentoring is a one-on-one mentoring program meeting up to 6-8 hours a month for a year.
- Young Adult mentoring is open to young adults 18-24 years old.
- Throughout this mentoring program, each young adult will be matched with a designated support person.
- This mentoring program will focus on independent skills as well as workforce development.
Parenting+
- Parenting+ is a 3-month group, meeting twice per month.
- Parenting+ is open to moms and dads that have children in foster care and working a reunification plan, age 18 and up.
- Throughout this group each parent will have a designated support person to provide support and encouragement.
- Parenting+ will focus on independent living skills such as budgeting, job application, and more.
Youth In Business
Our workplace mentoring program makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers and high school students. The program also improves the odds that youth in our programs will perform better in school, avoid violence and illegal activities, have stronger relationships with their parents and peers and succeed as adults. Mentors help youth further education beyond high school as well as assist in entering the workforce.
How it works:
- High School students will be transported to a company work site, during the school year.
- Sessions will take place on company property in a common area or corporate office.
- Each high school student will be matched with a company employee to work on skill development in the areas of leadership, finance, future employment and education.
- Each session is one hour in length, curriculum-based, structured and coordinated by Mentoring Services staff and school social workers.
If you are interested in being a business partner for our Youth in Business program, please contact Kim Hillebrand.
WISH LIST
Did you know our mentors pay for their own background check plus all outing expenses? Donate these items to help offset these costs and provide new and fun experiences for kids in our programs!
- Restaurant gift cards: Encourage ours mentors and their matches to try new things by donating a $10-25 gift card to your favorite restaurant or sweet treat shop.
- Movie passes: Everyone loves to go to the movies every once in a while! Donating movie passes will provide a fun, laid back match activity for mentors and their matches in our program.
- Gift cards to local stores-$5-10 (book stores, Target, Meijer, malls etc.): Mentoring Services is a goal-based program! Gift cards to local stores are a great way to reward Youth/Young Moms and their matches when they complete a goal area and encourage them to make and complete even more goals throughout their match.
- Gas cards: Mentors make weekly trips to spend time with their match. Small tokens of thanks, like a $10 gas card, are encouraging reminders of appreciation for our volunteers.
- Amazon gift cards: Each mentor/mentee relationship is unique. We often suggest specific books, games and toys to our mentors when they are presented with new opportunities or challenges and would be grateful to be able to provide them with these items free of charge.
