Mentoring to End Family Homelessness
What is a mentoring group?
- Eight to 12 people from within one congregation
- Both men and women
- Young and old, married and single
- Willing to establish an on-going “ministry of friendship” with a homeless single mother and her children
- Committed to the mentoring group for 12 to 24 months while the single mother is involved in the Bridge of Hope program and working toward financial stability
Can I do it?
- If you can be a friend, you can be part of a mentoring group
How much time is involved?
- A weekly phone call (or even every other week) to the woman you are mentoring
- A one-on-one activity every four to six weeks with the family you are mentoring. This might be inviting them over to watch a movie, going grocery shopping together, or other things that you would do with a friend.
- Attend monthly “Bridge of Hope Nights” with the woman you are mentoring and your whole mentoring group. These are held on a designated night each month. These evenings strengthen the mentoring relationships and provide ongoing training and support for mentors.
How will I be supported?
- Four and one-half hours of training prior to meeting the family you will mentor
- The social worker will facilitate a “match night” to introduce the mentoring group and the family the group will mentor
- Ongoing support and training throughout the 12 to 24 months
- Phone support for mentors provided by the social worker and/or your church facilitator
- Phone support for the church facilitator from Bridge of Hope National for OneChurch Sites