Family Mentor

Goal of the Position:

This assignment provides one-to-one support for parents/caregivers, children, and youth through engagement in various activities that wrap a circle of support around a family. Each assignment will have unique tasks and will be tailored to family's needs based on conversations with the family, worker and volunteer.

Family Mentors will support the safety and well-being of children and youth by providing support, friendship, and encouragement to the parents or guardians. They will role model positive parenting to enhance the parent/caregiver’s parenting skills and will help reduce isolation by providing support to the family in everyday life activities.

Some examples of activities that the assignment could include:

• creating a weekly menu then grocery shopping and cooking a meal together.

• researching groups/activities together.

• interacting with a child while the parent focuses on daily household tasks.

helping with home organization or creating a plan for that together.

Preferred Qualifications:

Volunteers are carefully screened for involvement as a Family Mentor. The following is a list of skills considered in the selection and matching process for this position.

• Demonstration of personable skills such as honesty, warmth, sensitivity, support, consistency, patience, endurance, empathy, understanding, encouragement, as well as react non-judgmentally, respectfully, and objectively.
• Experience working with children and ability to build on their knowledge of child development.
• Ability to maintain boundaries, professional relationships and understand that you are a representative of the Agency.
• Ability to provide companionship/friendship to reduce individual and family isolation and to engage in the development of a trusting relationship.
• Patient, flexible with strong problem-solving skills and experience working with families with complex needs or in crisis.
• Ability to communicate effectively and able to build relationships with diverse groups of people.
• Understanding of equity, diversity and inclusion and its impact on working with children, youth and families.
• Ability to provide own transportation to the assignment; and if possible, access to reliable vehicle to transport the children, youth and parents/caregivers as needed while on assignment (while having access to a vehicle is not mandatory, it does make it easier to find an assignment match. It is also easier to access community locations with family members).
• Previous experience in mentoring or working one-on-one with children/youth/families is very helpful in this role.

General awareness of the Child Welfare system is helpful

Responsibilities:

• Support parent/caregiver with social or life skills by providing positive role modeling in a variety of activities that can build on existing skills and reduce isolation.
• Support could involve connecting with the parent/caregiver over a cup of coffee to reduce social isolation and provide emotional support and encouragement.
• Assist parent/caregiver by engaging with them in community-based or in-home activities that support positive-parenting, self-care, mental and physical well-being and other activities that wrap supports around the family.
• Role model and provide support with problem solving, time-management and organizational skills to assist with managing daily homelife activities such as housecleaning, menu planning, and de-cluttering spaces.
• Provide support by participating in early learning and play activities with children, to provide the parent/caregiver time to focus on household activities or other specific tasks.
• Support could include menu planning, shopping for grocery items and then cooking a meal together to support a parent in making healthier eating choices or learning to cook for their family.
• Initiate contact with the worker when needed, provide ongoing feedback on goals and activities and participate in family meetings as requested.
• Work collaboratively and respectfully with staff and family members who are supporting child/youth and maintain consistent communication with worker and Volunteer Services by submitting monthly reports, mileage and expense forms and other communications as required.
• Use an equity lens with a respectful and inclusive approach.
• Be sensitive to all unique needs of the children, youth, parents and caregivers in the family.
• Use judgement to determine when or if any additional support from the worker is needed.
• Maintain and role model boundaries in the volunteer and client relationship – if in doubt connect with worker or Volunteer services.
• Be punctual, reliable and understanding of last-minute changes.
• Be respectful of the child, youth and family’s privacy at all times.
• Each assignment will be unique and specific to the needs of each family, the focus will be to help improve the home environment to support the safety and well-being of children and youth.
• Reflect the Agency’s Core Values, which are Open, Respectful, Caring, Honest, Collaborative.

Time Frame: 2-4 hours per week

Commitment: 6 months to 1 year

This role would be of interest to you if you:

• Have good active listening skills and the ability to show empathy.
• Understand the impact of social isolation and poverty on individuals.
• Are patient, can show empathy for others and have a non-judgmental approach.
• Have knowledge of community resources and an ability to access them.
• Are accepting of different lifestyles, values, and cultures.
• Understand that last-minute changes or cancelations can occur for various reasons.
• Have good problem-solving skills.
• Are welcoming and passionate about supporting family wellbeing in our community.

Benefits:

• Knowledge that you are working to help keep or reconnect children with their parents, fulfilling a relevant need for our community members, and are making a difference in someone’s life
• Satisfaction in providing a child/youth with positive adult role modeling.
• Positively impact someone’s self-esteem, build their social skills/ life skills and reduce social isolation for families.
• Understanding of Child Welfare and its practices
• Practice recording/reporting skills
• Reimbursement for Expenses
  Appreciation for your work to support families in our community.
• Build your network and gain future references.
• Orientation, Training, and support from staff.