NEWS

With schools reopening, Mentor RI seeks to volunteers

By ERICA MacKNIGHT
Posted 8/26/21

By ERICA MacKNIGHT Mentor RI is looking for volunteer mentors for the 2021-2022 school year. Started in 1990, the program is designed to match Warwick students with volunteers from the community, who are screened and trained to serve as mentors. Jo-Ann

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NEWS

With schools reopening, Mentor RI seeks to volunteers

Posted

Mentor RI is looking for volunteer mentors for the 2021-2022 school year. Started in 1990, the program is designed to match Warwick students with volunteers from the community, who are screened and trained to serve as mentors.

Jo-Ann Schofield, CEO and President of Mentor Rhode Island said, “Especially now, so many of our kids are returning to classrooms and feeling unsure of themselves and our current circumstances. Just one hour a week, on school grounds, during school hours can help a youth recognize their skills, passions, potential and improve their access to opportunity.” According to Schofield no special training is required, just a desire to support kids where they currently are in their lives.

Ideally, the program seeks to recruit 100 additional volunteers to meet the need of Warwick schools. Currently it is prepared to match about 200 students with mentors.

“All mentors must pass a background check, and attend training to learn more, before being matched with a student. Then we introduce the mentor to their mentee and the weekly meetings begin.” The Warwick mentor program guides volunteers with guidance and support, throughout the entire experience.

Warwick is the flagship school department in this program, and what started here has grown to be replicated in many other school departments across the state. Mentor Rhode Island has grown to provide guidance, assistance, and training to over 60 mentoring programs statewide.

Schofield said, “Our end-of-year surveys have routinely shown positive effects for most mentees both socially and academically, and nearly every mentor says they got just as much out of the experience as the mentee.”

There is no final date to sign up, as the program continues to match mentors and mentees throughout the year. However, volunteers who want to experience the full school year as a mentor should start the process now. Prospective mentors can fill out an inquiry form at https://mentorri.org/become-a-mentor/. Prospective volunteers fill out an application, give permission for a background check, attend a training, and ultimately get matched with a mentee.

Those with questions can reach out by email to inquiry@mentorri.org, or can call the office at 401-732-7700.

Mentor RI, volunteers

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