Professional Mentor Friend Friends

Basic Function

A Friend works intensively with eight (8) children as a positive adult role model to develop a caring, trusting and sustained relationship with each child. For each child, a Friend will set positive expectations; nurture and promote their strengths, talents and abilities; help assure physical and emotional well-being; teach life and academic skills; provide enrichment activities; and model responsible behavior. A Friend will fully document activities and participate in an ongoing evaluation process.

Friends will work primarily one-on-one with their children. A Friend must also know, understand, honor and support the organization’s mission, vision, values, principles and policies, and be able to clearly articulate the organization’s function.

• Develop and sustain a long‑term, caring, protective, and loving relationship with each child.
• Spend time with children, one‑on‑one and at home, school, and in the community.
• In collaboration with youth and caregivers, set goals and develop plans to meet those goals to ensure the development of each child’s strengths, talents, abilities, and needs.
• Teach life skills and help develop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child along with healthy habits to contribute both to basic development and learning, and to contribute to building positive self‑esteem.
• Provide enrichment resources and activities that include opportunities for cultural awareness.
• Support child’s development of behavioral management skills, emotional regulation, and prosocial behavior.
• Model and promote good problem‑solving and decision‑making skills.
• Develop positive relationships with families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life.
• Advocate to secure additional resources, opportunities, and services for youth as appropriate.
• Assist with systems navigation in schools to secure conditions for optimal academic success.
• Participate in programming and resources available through the organization, effectively utilizing program resources to meet the needs of each child.
• Reinforce basic academic skills and learning.
• Maintain a 40‑hour work schedule that includes afternoons, evenings, and some weekends that meet the schedule and needs of youth and families.
• Maintain spending within budgetary guidelines.
• Complete, distribute, and collect interaction summaries, expense reports, assessments, and evaluation materials accurately and in a timely manner.
• Attend and actively participate in team meetings and staff functions.
• Provide information and support to the development and executive team on related activities.
• Fulfill other responsibilities as required.

• Ability to cultivate trusting relationships with children, parents, teachers, and community members.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and communicate appropriately within the workplace.
• Ability to use creativity and initiative in planning activities to continually develop children.
• Ability to work independently in diverse environments with limited supervision.
• Ability to work as a team player.
• Ability to manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively exercising appropriate discretion and judgment.
• Partner with parents/caregivers to provide concrete and social‑emotional supports for the family.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills.
• Ability to complete administrative tasks accurately and on time.
• Attention to detail and accuracy.
• Ability to handle high mobility and driving demands safely and with good judgment.
• Spend 3‑4 hours weekly with each child.
• A sense of humor is a plus.

• Associate’s degree required;
  Bachelor’s degree preferred.
• At least 2 years of experience working with children and families. Mentoring experience with children preferred.
• Willingness to commit for a minimum of three years.
• Bilingual English/Spanish preferred.
• Ability to pass a full criminal background investigation and Motor Vehicle Record check.
• Maintain current driver’s license, good driving record, and vehicle insurance.
• Transport…