Our Mission
Mentoring is the most effective means of preventing at-risk youth from making poor choices. The Northcoast Mentor Program, a program of the Redwood Community Action Agency (RCAA), is a collaborative of agencies working to build and strengthen communities through broad partnerships. Our services include volunteer recruitment and referral, background checks and fingerprinting, mentor and program staff training, community education and outreach, and free mentor-mentee activities and resources.
What Makes You a Good Mentor?
A good mentor is a positive role model who offers consistent and non-judgemental guidance, friendship and support to a younger person. He or she is a responsible person, 16 years of age or older, who enjoys spending time with young people and wants to develop an ongoing and consistent relationship.
Involvement in the program entails:
- An extensive background check and interview process
- Orientation and training
- Ongoing communication with agency staff members
- A minimum committment of 1 hour, 3 to 4 times per month for at least 1 year
As a Mentor You Might...
...go hiking, fishing, skating, bowling, take a class, surf the web together or help a high school student develop study skills. You might make dinner with a teen parent, or show a young person how to write a resume or apply for a job. See a play or movie with a Youth Pass, or share your favorite craft or art project. Introduce a young person to your career or college. Facilitate an after-school club. Organize a group sports activity. Attend an evening class. Teach a teen to balance a budget. Learn a lot about yourself. Have a great time!
5 Ways You Can Support Mentoring
- Become a mentor: You can make a connection and develop a relationship with a young person.
- Encourage others to become mentors: You can tell relatives, friends, neighbors, and colleagues about the Northcoast Mentor Program, and support their participation.
- Promote mentoring through your workplace: You can offer job-shadowing and career exploration opportunities at your place of business, partner with mentor programs, and supoort and encourage employees to mentor youth.
- Help with activities: You can provide access to activities, tickets to events or coupons for goodies to support mentors and mentees.
- Invite the Northcoast Mentor Program to give a presentation: You can invite us to present our local mentoring opportunities to your business, congregation, school or community group.