Mentoring Matters

Mentors help youth build trusting relationships and boost their self confidence, creating a positive ripple effect that can improve youth's attitude, behavior, and performance at school or in a job.

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  What To Expect as a Mentor

As a mentor, you will work one-on-one with your mentee and begin your mentoring journey by being in contact with them weekly, and seeing them monthly for a minimum of a year. During this time you will also work with them on financial literacy and basic life skills.

Requirements:

  • A Completed Volunteer Application (Click Here)

  • You must be over 21 years old.

  • Highschool diploma or GED.

  • Valid photo ID

  • You must clear a background check with Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS).

  • Once clear, you will complete informational training to make sure you understand the program requirements.

  •  Strong passion for empowering kids!

Being a Mentor:

  • Once matched, commit a minimum of a one-year to AST mentee

  • Connect in-person monthly with AST Mentee

  • Communicate weekly with AST Mentee

Building a Relationship:

Building relationships can be hard, this is why we ask you to be consistent weekly and monthly with contact and visits. This will help you build a trusting relationship.

You should be prepared to visit your mentee at home (or in placement) and work toward feeling comfortable going out in the community. Each relationship is different. Your experience will be unique to you and your mentee but you always have the support of the AST Mentoring Program team to help you feel comfortable and competent along the way. Most mentors report feeling a much stronger connection with their AST youth than they anticipated, and are grateful for the opportunity to remain in the lives of their AST youth!

Throughout the Year:

The AST Mentoring Team hosts events and additional classes throughout the year for the mentors and mentees to participate in.

Read More about what AST Mentors do

We know you have several questions. Read a little more and Learn more details about the AST Mentoring program

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Why Mentor?

Many youth involved in the child welfare system don't finish high school or pursue secondary education:

  • youth formerly involved with CPS are twice as likely to drop out of high school

  • only 30% of youth involved with CPS will graduate college. The national average is 68%

 

Although AST Mentoring is not designed directly to combat these issues, one of the most crucial factors to becoming a successful and autonomous adult is to have at least one supportive adult helping you. 

The pipelines to incarceration, teen pregnancy, and homelessness are very high amongst youth involved in the child welfare system:

  • 30% of males formerly in CPS care will be incarcerated by age 19

  • 1 out of 4 will become incarcerated within the first two years of leaving care

  • 70% of female foster youth will give birth at least once before age 21

  • 50% of the US homeless population was in foster care at one point

  • 1 out of 5 youth who age out of the foster care system will end up homeless

Become a Sponsor

There are a lot of ways to support our youth if mentoring doesn’t feel right for you!