The Cra-Wa-La Volunteer Mentoring Program (VMP) is designed to provide mentors and friendship through the use of positive role models (volunteers) like you for the rehabilitation of at-risk and troubled youth. Volunteer mentors work with youngsters who are referred by the court, probation officers, schools, or other service agencies. The objective of the program is to restore the youngsters to useful, productive, law abiding, contributing and responsible citizenship.
A Mentor is a volunteer who offers his/her time and friendship to a youth. A volunteer is not a professional counselor, however they can be very effective by being a good role model for the youth and listening to his or her personal concerns. Often a youngster will just be in need of a trustworthy friend. The help, attention, and caring a volunteer gives to that youth may be the difference between prison and productive citizenship.
The amount of time a volunteer spends with a client depends largely on the individual needs. We realize that everyone has many roles in our society and must do his or her best to balance the time devoted to each of these roles. Some clients need more time than others. Typically a volunteer will meet with the youth once a week for an hour or so. Often volunteers mix business with pleasure so to speak, by taking their clients with them for an afternoon of fishing, golf, or other activities.
A youth may be on probation or referred by the court, probation officer or another agency. The probation officer has many probationers and cannot give the time and attention to each one that a volunteer can provide on a one-to-one basis. VPM youngsters are individuals whose lives may be affected by the intervention of a volunteer.
Ways You Can Get Involved With the
Volunteer Mentoring Program:
1. Become a Volunteer Mentor (a one-on-one or group mentor)
2. Make a donation
3. Tell others about mentoring
4. Your business, organization, or club could become a sponsor
(Contact Us now to set up a presentation)
5. Join our Board of Directors
6. Take part in a fund-raiser