The Mentoring USA Program Model        

General Program Description

Specialized Programs

 General Program Description 

Mentoring USA's mission is to create sustained and supportive mentor relationships for children in need ages 7-21.  The program matches youth across the country with inspirational adult mentors who can guide them in developing better self-esteem, creating healthy relationships, and making positive life choices.  Many youth enter the program experiencing varying levels of educational difficulties or social challenges.  Furthermore Mentoring USA has specific programs to target youth in care and adopted youth.  Studies show that children who succeed despite enormous personal, economic or social obstacles often times do so because of the presence of committed and competent role models who believe in them.

Through the Mentoring USA site based model mentors and mentees meet in a supervised environment at a set time and location-a format which not only allows for the volunteer mentors to properly manage their busy schedules, but also provides the much needed consistency to the mentoring relationship.  One-to-one simply refers to each mentor being matched with on mentee so that they can focus their full attention on one youth and build a trusting relationship.  Though mentors at our sites are matched with one youth, they are almost always in the presence of other mentors and mentees. This provides an added support mechanism along with the option of rewarding group activities and presentations.  All mentors are asked to commit to mentoring for one school year for 4-6 hours per month; although many continue working with their mentee for two or more years. 

Mentoring USA programs are incubated in partnering schools, community centers, foster care agencies, and other non-profits.  All sites are supported by MUSA Program Managers who work directly with Site Supervisors at each site to ensure that the programs run smoothly.  These supervisors work together to build an environment that is comfortable for the mentoring matches along with providing activities, on-going support, and training to everyone in the program.  The Program Manager and Site Supervisor ultimately act as safety nets and support systems to mentors to ensure the growth between mentor and mentee.

Mentoring USA's programs incorporate a number of initiatives that facilitate and guide mentors to focus on their mentee's individual needs. Financial Literacy, Healthy Lifestyles & Self Esteem, Art and Anti-violence are initiatives incorporated into the programs through activities and outside facilitators such as the Cornell Cooperative Extension.   Along with completing Mentoring USA activities, mentors also help their mentees with school work, play games that encourage socialization, provide guidance and advice, and simply listen to their mentee.  Every mentee is different and therefore every mentoring relationship looks different, but the reward for both the mentee and mentor is undeniable. 

Specialized Programs

Foster Care Programs

Mentoring USA's Foster Care program is uniquely designed to provide structured, one-to-one mentoring for youth in care through New York City. These programs follow the same important guidelines as the Mentoring USA General Programs do, all while expanding service to youth up to 21 years of age. When foster care children turn 21 years old and ‘age out' of the system, they are presented with a whole new set of challenges, many of which their mentors can help them overcome. As part of the foster care programming Mentoring USA also offers unique programs that link adopted youth with adults who were adopted. Mentoring USA's Foster Care program passionately aims to provide these youth with someone who cares, in order to develop a long term relationship increasing the likelihood of future success. 

English Language Learners

The English Language Learners program of Mentoring USA is strongly committed to improving literacy by assisting ELL students in grades 4-12. The ELL initiative is supported through the Union Square Partnership of New York City.  Mentoring USA's goal is for ELL students to become proficient in the English language through focused, one-to-one mentoring.  These ELL mentoring programs, while staying true to the guidelines set forth through MUSA's General programming, focus on activities that allow the mentor to aid the mentee in learning English.  Most importantly, these programs provide a supportive atmosphere for youth who are facing the stress of recent immigration and the social struggles associated with their language barriers.