Frequently Asked Questions for Mentors
You can also take our eligibility quiz to find out if you are eligible to become a mentor.
Q. How do I become a mentor with Mentoring Today?
A. All of our new mentors are students at American University’s Washington College of Law, and are members of the student organization, Students United.
Q. Does Mentoring Today pay mentors for their services?
A. No. All mentors in our program are volunteers. We do, however, reimburse mentors for expenses incurred during mentoring activities.
Q. Is your program voluntary for mentees?
A. Yes. All of our mentees volunteer for the program. No one is requiring them to participate and they do not get paid to participate.
Q. Do you serve both girls and boys?
A. No. Mentoring Today serves only boys. We provide services to youth who are incarcerated at New Beginnings Youth Development Center and who are reintegrating into the Washington, DC, community. There are currently only boys at New Beginnings.
Q. What is the age range of the youth Mentoring Today serves?
A. To be eligible for our program, youth must be between 16 and 21 years old.
Q. Do you accept female mentors?
A. Yes. Even though all of our mentees are male, we accept both male and female mentors. The most important qualities in a mentor are commitment, compassion, and understanding. Research shows that the success of a mentoring relationship depends on compatible personalities and commitment to the relationship rather than the mentor’s race or gender.
Q. What is the time commitment required to mentor with your organization?
A. Three hours per week for at least 12 months. For the first 4-6 months of the mentoring relationship, mentoring pairs meet at New Beginnings every Thursday evening (Students United provides transportation). Once a mentee is released, the mentoring pair continues to meet regularly in the community for the remainder of the 12 months and often longer.
Q. Have mentors in your program ever experienced any problems with safety?
A. Mentoring Today carefully trains its mentors to maintain safety at all times. Since Mentoring Today began offering services in 2006, our mentoring pairs have not experienced any problems with safety.
Q. Do I need a car to become a mentor?
A. No. Students United provides transportation to and from New Beginnings, which is located in Laurel, Maryland. Once in the community, mentors can use public transportation, Zipcar, or can request transportation from Students United or Mentoring Today staff.
Q. I have a criminal record. Will this prevent me from volunteering with Mentoring Today?
A. Maybe. Mentoring Today runs background checks on all mentor applicants, but a criminal record does not automatically prevent an applicant from becoming a mentor.
Q. Does Mentoring Today offer training for its mentors?
A. Yes. Mentoring Today requires each mentor to attend ten hours of pre-match training and also offers consistent support and in-service training throughout the relationship.
Q. What does being a mentor entail?
A. For the first 4-6 months of the mentoring relationship, mentoring pairs meet at New Beginnings every Thursday evening. Mentors typically meet at the Washington College of Law around 5:30 p.m. and drive together to New Beginnings, which is located in Laurel, Maryland. The drive to and from New Beginnings allows mentors to offer support and ideas to one another. Mentors and mentees share a meal together at New Beginnings (facilitated by Students United) and then meet one-on-one or in small groups for approximately an hour. Mentors then drive back to DC.
In the months leading up to the mentee’s release, the mentors not only get to know their mentees, but they also specifically delve into issues such as housing, education, and employment to find out more about the mentees needs and desires post-release. The mentor attends approximately two pre-release meetings and gives voice to the mentee, ensuring that the mentee’s desires are discussed. Once the mentee has been released, the mentoring pair continues to meet regularly in the community for the remainder of the 12 months and often longer. The mentor continues to advocate on the mentee’s behalf, ensuring that all services are delivered appropriately. Mentoring activities vary widely, depending on each individual relationship, but can include activities like trying new foods, exploring the rich resources of Washington, DC, going to the DMV to get an ID card, or attending a poetry slam. Mentoring Today reimburses its mentors for all expenses incurred during mentoring activities.
