"Mentoring is so important in the Memphis community because change only happens when we invest in our very own"
Finding the right mentoring opportunity doesn’t have to be hard. In fact, it’s all about asking the right questions, getting in contact with the right people, and truly understanding the WHY behind mentoring.
We’ve put together this ultimate guide to mentoring to help you navigate the journey of becoming a great mentor to great students in the city of Memphis!
Why mentor?
Did you know that mentored students are more likely to enroll in college?
Not only are mentors able to provide students with personal and professional support that impacts them well-beyond their mentorship, but mentors benefit from mentorships as well. While a mentorship gives students more equitable access and opportunity to experiences, mentors get the opportunity to give back to the city of Memphis, and build a relationship with the potential for a lifelong connection.
Finding the Right Fit:
Questions to ask when deciding on a mentoring opportunity:
- What age group do you want to work with?
- How much time can you commit?
- Do you want to focus on helping someone navigate professional and/or school goals, OR do you want to help someone on a more personal level?
- How formal do you want the mentoring program to be?
- How much support will you need from the mentoring program?
Mentoring Opportunities:
Mentoring ideas based on the questions to ask yourself:
Looking to mentor in-person with students in grades K-8th for a school year? You should look at opportunities with Streets Ministries.
What about mentoring middle school students during lunch virtually for a school year? Grizzlies Prep might be the place for you.
Maybe you want to mentor high school students and focus on college preparedness? Memphis Athletic Ministries‘s Amplify Mentor Program sounds like the opportunity for you.
Not sure about mentoring alone? The Grizzlies TEAM Mentor Program matches 3 volunteers together with 6 middle school students to form a mentoring team.
These are just SOME of the great organizations serving youth in Memphis that need great mentors like YOU. Whether you want to mentor virtually, in-person, or hybrid, or you want to mentor elementary, middle, high school or even college-aged students, there is a mentorship opportunity for you.
Finding the right fit for a mentorship program is important not just for you, but also for the student or students you end up mentoring, and we want to help you do that.
If you’ve asked yourself the questions to help you find the right fit for you and you’re stuck, or even if you aren’t sure how to answer the questions about the mentoring opportunity you’re looking for, reach out to kristen@give901.org to get connected to an opportunity!
Not ready to give your time as a mentor?
If you aren’t ready to give your time and become a mentor just yet, you also have the option to give a gift to Give901, or work with some of Give901’s partners for a one-time mentoring opportunity — Reach out to kristen@give901.org to get connected.
"If you want to see our city grow and see our kids contribute to the well-being and growth of our city, you need to be a Give901 Member"
