Mentor Program

Since 1995 Communities In Schools of Renton (CISR) has matched community volunteers with Renton public school students in grades 3-12 who may be at risk of academic failure. CISR has an annual service growth goal of 10%, providing one-on-one mentoring services for more than 150 students during the 2008-2009 academic year.

For the 2009-2010 we have plans to recruit at least 15 new mentors for the middle school level and offer a redesigned approach to the CISR Mentor Program (MP) to continue offering the best possible services. The program focuses on helping kids further improve their self-esteem, identity, and vision for their future as they journey through their academic career.

CISR ensures the quality and effectiveness of its MP in all areas, including program design and planning, management, operations, and evaluation*:

• Program design and planning: the MP has defined the policies and procedures including:
         – Program Structure
         – Offered Services
         – Population of Service
         – Type of volunteers recruited
         – Mentoring location and length
         – Goals and outcomes of the mentoring relationship
         – Logistics of matches
         – Evaluation standards
         - Ongoing support and supervision
         – Staff Training Plans
         – Budget, that is subject to auditing 
• Management: the MP receives advice from the CISR Board of Directors. 
  There is a full-time staff that 
         – Manages all files and program activity
         – Consistently fundraises for the program
         – Revises policies and procedures as needed 
         – Has access to professional development opportunities
         – Publicly advocates pro-mentoring policies
         – Establishes public relations to extensively market the program.
• Operations: the MP recruits, screens, trains, and matches mentors, provides opportunities for common mentoring sessions, collects data for evaluation, reflects on findings and improvements needed, and helps matches reach closure at the end of the match.
• Evaluation: the MP identifies performance indicators, has a data collection system, has identified expected/measurable outcomes, and has a process for reflection and learning.

If you would like to make the difference in the life of a child in our community by becoming a mentor, or know someone who can, please contact our CISR Mentor Program Director, Erin, at 425.430-6659 or email her. Erin will be delighted to assist you through this process. Thank you!

Please visit this link to learn more about Mentor Program.

*Source: Elements of Effective Practices – http://www.wamentors.org/pdf/effectivePractice.pdf