Life Skills Mentoring

Children Uniting Nations' Life Skills Mentoring Program matches caring and responsible mentors with children and youth ages 10-18 living in out-of-home care throughout Los Angeles County.  Life Skills matches enjoy one-on-one outings such as going to the beach, playing sports, going to museums, and just hanging out!  All activities are designed by you and your mentee and are intended to be both fun and educational.  In addition, matches are also invited to attend fun group activities and events throughout the year such as Dodger Day, trips to Los Angeles museums, and our annual Day of the Child Event.

Life Skills mentors spend 8-10 hours per month with their mentees generally on weekends and weekday evenings for a minimum of one year.  The strong and healthy bond that you and your mentee will develop helps to increase the young person’s self-esteem, social skills and emotional development. All mentors complete training prior to being matched with a child and are required to spend the first 3 months of the match in a supervised setting.  These supervised visits are often fun group activities such as a bowling day or game night where a group of new mentors and mentees can come together to get to know one another and have fun!

Additional Requirements for Life Skills Mentors:

• 21 years or older
• Provide negative TB test result
• Must be able to clear a criminal background check and child abuse index clearance
• Submit DMV driving history for approval
• Have a valid CA drivers license
• Reliable transportation with valid auto insurance and registration
• Lastly, a caring heart!

Mentoring Locations:

• Aviva Family Children Services - Foster Family Agency
• Children's Institute Inc. - Foster Family Agency
• Dubnoff Center For Child Development - Foster Family Agency
• Ease In Program - Foster Family Agency
• Families For Children - Foster Family Agency
• Five Acres  - Group Home
• Fred Jefferson Memorial - Foster Family Agency
• G.L.A.S.S. - Foster Family Agency/Group Home
• Guardians of Love Foster Family Agency - Foster Family Agency
• Hillsides - Group Home
• Life Circle Group Home - Group Home
• Penny Lane - Foster Family Agency/Group Home
• Phoenix House - Group Home
• Southern California Foster Family & Adoption Agency - Foster Family Agency
• Star View Adolescent Center - Foster Family Agency
• Teen's Happy Home, Inc. - Foster Family Agency
• United Care, Inc. - Foster Family Agency
• Vista Del Mar Child and Family Services - Foster Family Agency/Group Home
• Zenith Foster Family Agency - Foster Family Agency

 

Application to become a mentor

Day of the Child Turns 13! on Sunday, November 13th!

Children Uniting Nations will once again host its Annual Day of the Child event!!! And like past years, we will match over one thousand youth living in foster care with mentors for a joy-filled day which includes amusement park rides, booths, food, games, arts and crafts, live entertainment, and celebrity hosts.

We will be returning to the amazing STAR Eco-Station in Culver City where Day of the Child 2010 helped create hundreds of new "Environmental Heroes" of all our youth present. We invite you join us for this incredible opportunity to become a mentor for the day to a child who will never forget it!

 

- Become a Day of the Child Donor

- Sponsor a Foster Youth to attend Day of the Child

- Become a Day of the Child Mentor!

"Voices of Hope" - Our Newsletter

2011 Children's Dream Awards

Public Service Announcements

"Help Them Get There"

Day of the Child

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton

Why Be a Mentor?

Children Uniting Nations seeks responsible and enthusiastic volunteers who have a desire to make a difference in the life of a child and the community at large. Studies show that mentoring has a positive and significant effect on the likelihood that a young person will avoid negative behaviors and participate successfully in school and community life.

"Because of my mentor's interest in my education and their unselfish desire to show me the world, it motivated me to achieve and become the honor student I am today."

Our Target Population Trends

• Poor attendance rates
• Less likely to perform at grade level
• Less likely to attend college
• More likely to have behavior and discipline problems
• More likely to be assigned to special education classes
• In need of positive role models

Facts

• Sub-standard academic performance perpetuates already low self-esteem and can contribute to violent behavior
• Increased violence at home and in school causes a disruption in development for all youth
• Lack of role model support leads to poor decision making, no set goals and submission to peer pressure

Benefits of Mentoring

For Mentees:

• 59% of mentored teens get better grades
• 81% of teens feel that talking with adults helps reduce teen pregnancy
• 53% of students credit mentors with improving their ability to avoid drugs
• 27% of mentored youth are less likely to begin using alcohol, and 52% are less likely to skip school
• Overall, youth participation in mentoring relationships experience positive academic returns
• Better school attendance
• Increased chance of going on to higher education
• Better attitudes towards school
• Mentoring enhances many aspects of young people's social and emotional development
• Participating in mentoring promoted positive social attitudes and relationships
• Mentors can open a new world to foster children that they otherwise may not have and help them realize their potential and dreams

For Mentors:

• Learn about yourself
• Learn about someone else
• Enhance your skills and resume
• Develop a sense of accomplishment by positively impacting someone’s life
• Network with similarly-minded people
• Re-connect with your inner child
• Create a legacy of learning
• Develop 21st century skills: managing, motivating, understanding people, developing empathy, creative thinking
• Become a better friend, parent, person!

School Based Program

Children Uniting Nations' Academic Mentoring Program uses select effective approaches to provide middle school students with additional classroom support while also building self-esteem, life skills, and confidence. Participation in our program stabilizes educational transitions and enhances the educational outcomes of our youth with continuous support services as they move throughout their educational journey.  In addition to school visits, participants enjoy supervised summer and Saturday field trips expanding their minds with less-structured offsite activities.

In partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District and other corporate conscience entities, Children Uniting Nations works to serve both at- risk and foster youth throughout Los Angeles County.  Mentoring includes activities designed to boost a child’s school achievement by building a meaningful relationship and providing ongoing encouragement and academic support. Children Uniting Nations' strategic plan is to expand service starting in the Fall of 2010 to additional schools in South Los Angeles including elementary, middle and high schools in at- risk communities.

 

Youth Selection Criteria:

• At Risk and/or Foster Youth
• Below 65% Grade Point Average
• Ages – dependent on school site

Additional requirements for Academic Mentors:

• 18 years or older
• 1-4 hours a week
• Provide negative TB test result
• Must be able to clear a criminal background check
• Be responsible and enthusiastic with a desire to make a difference!

Mentoring Locations:

• Barrett Elementary School
• Bethune Middle School
• Foshay Learning Center
• Gompers Middle School
• John Muir Middle School
• Markham Middle School
• Virgil Middle School

 

Application to become a mentor

Our Programs

Children Uniting Nations provides two types of local mentoring programs to at-risk and foster youth: a School Based Program and a Life Skills Mentoring Program.  We work closely with local foster agencies, foster families, teachers, counselors, and Extended Learning (ELA) staff to assess students’ levels of academic achievement and self-esteem and to develop individual mentoring plans with specific goals.

 

Information on School Based Program

Information on Life Skills Mentoring Program

Mentor Application