Becoming a Mentor

We have created this component to the Dream Leaders Program because many of our youth have expressed a direct interest in having a guiding figure in their life. Since all of the students have participated in the Dream Leaders program as well, they have a firm understanding of Dreams for Kids as an organization and what we seek to accomplish through our activities. We expect mentees to follow up their participation in the Dream Leaders Conference through comunity service, fundraising, and a continued commitment to our mission, and we believe that they may best do this if partnered with a mentor.

With this in mind, we are pursuing mentors that:

• Are college graduates
• Have experience with youth
• Are career-oriented and have positive professional goals
• Have an interest in Dreams for Kids and service

If selected as a mentor, there are certain time requirements throughout the mentor/mentee relationship. These include:

• A 10-15 minute entrance interview based around your schedule
• Two hour mentor training
• An introductory mixer to bring together the mentors to the mentees in a fun and relaxed environment
• Regular meetings with the mentee, which must total at least six hours a month for a twelve month period and participation in four Dreams for Kids scheduled community service events
• A closing celebration at the end of the 12 month period to celebrate the mentor/mentee relationship

Mentors are also required to contribue a $50 participatory fee in order to compensate for background checks, training materials, and other introductory costs.

If you are interested in becoming a mentor, dowload the application here and fax the completed application to 312-729-5401. If you have any questions, feel free to contact the Dream Leaders Mentor Coordinator at dlcmentor@dreamsforkids.org.