The Life You Change May Be Your Own!

FAQ

Q.  What are the requirements of being a mentor?

A.    Mentors must be 18 or older and are accepted based on an application process which includes a criminal background check, reference checks, and an interview.  Mentors must have a reliable car, valid driver’s license, and insurance.  It is very important that mentors be able to commit to the program for at least 12 months!  Studies show that a child who has a mentor for less than a year is worse off than if they had never had a mentor at all.  By volunteering with our program, you are committing to meet with your friend once a week for at least one year.  After you have been interviewed, we offer up to 20 hours of pre-match training so you will be completely prepared before you go out to mentor.

 

Q.  Who is eligible to be matched with a mentor?

A.    Students in our community based program must be ages 7 through 18 and be currently enrolled in mental health services through Medicaid in Clark County.  Their therapist must recommend them to our program.  Fir Grove Students must be in 4^th through 8^th grade at Fir Grove.  There are no other stipulations for these children to receive a mentor.  The caregivers of

the kids in our Caregiver’s Choice program receive a voucher that they can bring to us to redeem. 

 

Q.  Can I bring my friend to my house?

A.  No!  There are several reasons why we do not allow mentors to take their friends home:  Even though we’ve run a background check on you, we don’t know anything about the other people in your home.  It is considered a risk-management issue and there are other reasons we will discuss in training.  We can help you find plenty of other activities to do and spaces for you to be besides your home.

 

Q.  Am I supposed to buy my friend the things s/he needs?

A.  No.  You are their mentor.  You are not an ATM machine, their savior, their provider, or their parent.  Spending money on your friend can affect their expectations of you.  Even if you have no problem spending money, we don’t want you to give them things their parents can’t provide.  We will provide you with plenty of tickets and passes to activities in the area.  Occasionally, you may want to give a birthday or Christmas present to your friend, but you should always check with your supervisor before you spend money on your child. 

 

Q.  What am I supposed to do with my friend?

A.  We’ll provide you with lots of ideas for free activities every month (see our Free Activities section.  You will also receive a pass to OMSI and the Clark County YMCA.  Some mentors play chess or card games with their friends.  Some build a model or do art projects together.  It’s not about the activity that you do with your friend; it’s the fact that you’re there that matters!

 

Q.  Can I bring anyone else along on outings?

A.  The one on one aspect of your mentoring relationship is very important to your friend.  They seldom get all of one person’s attention devoted to them.  By bringing along someone else on your outings, you’re dividing your attention when your relationship is just meant to be one on one.

 

Q.  What if my friend asks me a question that I don’t know how to answer?

A.  4Results has a staff of professionals that are here to help you have a great mentoring experience.  All the children in our program already have a therapist, so you don’t have to try to fill that role.  It is always a good idea to say, “Have you talked to your therapist about that?”  We will give you the contact information for your friend’s teacher, therapist, and parent, and of course you can always contact us. 

 

Q.  What if I have a vacation or have to miss a meeting with my friend?

A.  No problem.  There are always things that come up that keep us from meeting every week, but the important thing is that you communicate with your friend and tell them how long you’ll be gone and when you plan on meeting when you return.  This kind of good communication helps to build trust in your relationship when you show up again after you return.  The students are also expected to let you know if there is a reason they can’t meet during your regularly scheduled meeting time. 

 

Q.  How much of my time am I committing?

A.  You are committing to meet with your friend one to three hours a week for a year.  There is also a monthly mentors’ meeting for an hour on the second Monday of each month.  Any time you miss a meeting, we will communicate with you so we can keep up with how things are going between you and your friend. 

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