Volunteer Opportunity Details:

Most youth in foster care will move between six and eleven times during their childhood. More than half change school five or more times. With so many transitions, it's hard for youth in the foster care system to have any stability in their lives. Imagine bouncing around from home-to-home, never settling in or learning many things most youth take for granted - how to swim, ride a bike, apply for a job.

AFC Mentoring and our mentors provide the stability needed to overcome these hardships, however. When a youth is in the AFC mentoring program, he/she is much better equipped to handle things like school and social situations. Mentors are the consistent, supportive guidance that youth in foster care need in their life. Our mentors are not social workers or parents; they are simply positive, adult role models. Most importantly, they are a friend.

One mentor can make the key difference in a foster or adopted youth's life. That one mentor could be you. Our mentors spend time with their mentees doing things like going to the park, to a museum, to the zoo, anything they enjoy doing together. Through AFC, mentoring matches have gone to Red Sox games and Celtics games. It's a great way to explore the city and see Boston through youthful eyes. For the mentor, it is gratifying to have fun in the short term as well as to watch a youth mature over time.

Mentors must be over 18. In addition to an information session, each potential mentor must fill out an application before interviewing with a Program Coordinator. After that, the potential mentor will be asked to attend two, three-hour information sessions (done either on one Saturday, or two weeknights). Each mentor will additionally be subject to a criminal background check, a sex offender background check, and an FBI fingerprint check.

Mentor ... It only takes one to change two lives.

Mentors must be over 18. In addition to an information session, each potential mentor must fill out an application before interviewing with a Program Coordinator. After that, the potential mentor will be asked to attend two, three-hour information sessions (done either on one Saturday, or two weeknights). Each mentor will additionally be subject to a criminal background check, a sex offender background check, and an FBI fingerprint check.

This opportunity is sponsored by: Adoption and Foster Care Mentoring

We need volunteers who are free at these times Weekends This volunteer opportunity is available to the following types of volunteers Adults (26-54) Individual Adults (55+) Young Adults (18-25)

Contact Person: Cory Bennett, Volunteer Coordinator, (phone), (email) View all agency contacts

Address:

727 Atlantic Ave. 3rd Floor Boston, MA 02111 (See a map)

Directions:

The nearest expressway exit to AFC is exit 24A towards MA-3/US-1/I-93 and continue towards Atlantic Avenue. There is metered parking on the side streets off of Atlantic.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: South Station,   Walk distance (in minutes): 2 For maps or information, please see http://www.mbta.com/schedmaps/index.cfm

Web Site: http://www.afcmentoring.net

Last updated on October 14, 2009