YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM
Youth mentors are same-gender, Approved Adults, chosen by youth, and approved by the Pastor and/or Leadership Team and Safe Sanctuary Committee, to provide friendship and companionship for youth throughout their teenage years. Mentors are offered to youth to facilitate their spiritual growth and maturity, complementing the role of parents. These relationships are an exception to the policy of needing two Approved Adults present for all activities with youth. This additional risk is addressed by the following policies:
1. Mentor and mentee will each keep a log of the times and places they meet. The child’s parent or legal guardian will initial the log the child keeps after each meeting; the designated Pastor or Safe Sanctuary Coordinator will initial the log the adult keeps after each meeting. The logs will include designation of the date/time/place/duration and purpose of the meeting, and will be provided to mentors in their training session. All logs are subject to review by the Safe Sanctuary Committee, and are to be handed in to the Church office every six (6) months, at the end of June and December.
2. All mentoring with children or youth should always occur in a public place, never in a private car, or in a vacated building.
3. In the event of one-on-one evening meetings, be aware of time. This is to avoid any appearance of impropriety, and to discourage mentor pairs from meeting late in the evening.
4. Mentors are not to engage children/youth in counseling that requires professional help. For example – drug or alcohol addiction, sexual assault by a dating partner; severe problems with parental relationships, sustained depression or chronic anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal tendencies, etc. The need for formal or professional counseling should be turned over to the Pastor and/or Deacon Team.
Youth mentors are same-gender, Approved Adults, chosen by youth, and approved by the Pastor and/or Leadership Team and Safe Sanctuary Committee, to provide friendship and companionship for youth throughout their teenage years. Mentors are offered to youth to facilitate their spiritual growth and maturity, complementing the role of parents. These relationships are an exception to the policy of needing two Approved Adults present for all activities with youth. This additional risk is addressed by the following policies:
1. Mentor and mentee will each keep a log of the times and places they meet. The child’s parent or legal guardian will initial the log the child keeps after each meeting; the designated Pastor or Safe Sanctuary Coordinator will initial the log the adult keeps after each meeting. The logs will include designation of the date/time/place/duration and purpose of the meeting, and will be provided to mentors in their training session. All logs are subject to review by the Safe Sanctuary Committee, and are to be handed in to the Church office every six (6) months, at the end of June and December.
2. All mentoring with children or youth should always occur in a public place, never in a private car, or in a vacated building.
3. In the event of one-on-one evening meetings, be aware of time. This is to avoid any appearance of impropriety, and to discourage mentor pairs from meeting late in the evening.
4. Mentors are not to engage children/youth in counseling that requires professional help. For example – drug or alcohol addiction, sexual assault by a dating partner; severe problems with parental relationships, sustained depression or chronic anxiety, eating disorders, suicidal tendencies, etc. The need for formal or professional counseling should be turned over to the Pastor and/or Deacon Team.