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Frequently Asked Questions​

HOPE FOR TOMORROW MENTORING PROGRAM

Hope for Tomorrow Frequently Asked Questions

Absolutely! Hope for Tomorrow is about establishing a mentoring relationship between a student and a caring adult, reinforcing critical life skills, and empowering young teens to realize their full potential. We respect that mentors can come from all walks of life. Mentors accept that they may not have all the answers for their mentees’ questions. If you are less familiar with answers to a mentee’s questions about college or any other questions, you can call upon other mentors for help.
Hope for Tomorrow has many resources available to help you with your mentoring. The website has resource information to guide you in conversing with your mentee and ideas for enhancing mentoring skills such as effective listening and problem solving. A Facilitators Guide and session purposes and expected outcomes, as well as sample activities, assist you in developing a session if you are asked to facilitate one. Your chapter lead and fellow mentors will support you and help with any questions and concerns you have during the year. Each school has a liaison who works with the chapter lead and mentors.
Mentors and mentees will be matched to accommodate any language needs. If you have concerns, talk with your chapter lead or ask for ideas during the mentor debriefing at the end of each session.
A schedule of session dates is created for the school year and distributed in September. Mentors must commit to a full school year. There are typically 8 sessions between October and May. Sessions are held once each month on the same day of the week and at the same time. Sessions last approximately two to three hours, with the exception of field trips. Field trips vary by chapter, but often chapters go on two field trips. Those sessions may be up to five hours long including travel time.
Yes. Mentors are expected to dress neatly and appropriately to set an example for the mentees, except when advised otherwise due to some type of activity that requires casual clothing.
Unless you are helping to plan and facilitate a session, the time commitment for preparation for a session is minimal.
Although mentors are required to attend all sessions, circumstances may require you to miss a session. As soon as you know you will be unable to attend a session, contact your chapter lead. He/she will find an alternate mentor or will make sure your mentee is placed with another mentor/mentee pair for participation in the session. The lead will let you know if they would like you to help with making arrangements for your absence.

We rarely know ahead of time if the mentee will be absent. You will play a different role during the session or work with other mentees. Your chapter lead will provide direction.

Each month one or more Mentors plan and implement the session activities. Your chapter leader will contact you if he/she wants you to facilitate a monthly meeting. Hope for Tomorrow provides the curriculum for each topic, which includes a purpose, expected outcomes, and life skills to be reinforced by the session’s information and activities. The Hope for Tomorrow website has resources with ideas and activities to assist you in presenting the session topic.

First, fill out the Mentor Application. You will be asked if you have a preference for mentoring at a specific middle school or chapter. Based on your response, you will be matched with a chapter lead who will interview you and answer any questions you may have. Once you are asked to join, you will fill out a mentor application that contains basic personal information and you will be asked to submit to a background check as required by the school. After passing the background check, the chapter lead will contact you with logistics regarding the annual mentor kick-off/orientation. During the kick-off you will receive additional information about the program and what to expect. 

If you have any questions, please get in touch with us through the Contact Us page.

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