Bridges Mentoring Program

The mission of the Bridges Mentoring Program is to strengthen the self-esteem and social skills of children and youth by providing positive adult mentors at no cost to the youth or family.

Description:
The Bridges Mentoring Program is a community based mentoring program. We match caring adult mentors that have been trained & screened (background checks, references, etc.) with school age children & youth in need of a positive adult role model and friend. We serve the school districts of Osage, Riceville and St. Ansgar. Our mentors must be 18 years of age or older; we serve children ages 5-18. Potential mentors go through a two-part training process; they must pass criminal history, child abuse and sex offender background checks, submit three satisfactory references and agree to a home interview. When that process is complete, they are matched with a child, with whom they agree to meet weekly for a minimum of one hour, participating in a planned activity or simply visiting. All participants sign up for a year at a time; it is the staff's hope that the mentor pairs will stay together throughout the child's school career. All paperwork is re-done every year. Children wanting to be a part of Bridges must do so with parental permission. The program staff meets with each potential mentee and family to complete intake forms, needs assessments, etc. Bridges prefers to do same gender matches, but mentors may decide what age of child they would like to mentor, and a couple that decides to mentor together may mentor either a boy or a girl. The Bridges Program also provides group activities each year. Examples include renting a bowling alley for an afternoon, renting a YMCA for an evening, educational opportunities for mentors, mentees & parents. Each summer the Bridges Program provides a day trip activity for the mentors & mentees--examples of activities we've done are: attend a pro baseball game; go to the Mississippi River Museum & ride a boat; go to the zoo; explore the Science Museum of Minnesota.
Mentoring is easy and fun for all involved!

History:
The Bridges Mentoring Program was begun in 1999 under the supervision of Lutheran Social Services, and became a United Way partner agency in 2000. In 2004, Bridges joined the North Iowa Community Action Organization (NICAO). NICAO acts as the Bridges Program's fiscal agent, provides liability insurance and supervises the coordinator of Bridges. The program coordinator and mentor specialist are employees of NICAO. Bridges began with 20 mentor matches in 1999--we now have 79 matches & continue to have children waiting for mentors.

Contact people:

Rae Anne Havig, Program Coordinator, (phone), (email) Julie Maliszewski, Assistant, (phone), (email)

Office fax number: (641) 732-3566

Address:

833 Ash St. P.O. Box 131 Osage, IA 50461 (See a map)

Web Site: http://www.bridgesmentoring.com

Directions:

From Main Street in Osage, travel north on 7th Street to Ash St to Our Savior's Lutheran Church. Park on the north side of the church toward the east end. Come in the door where you see the. . . (more)

Last updated on July 6, 2009