Professional Mentor Friend

Friends of the Children – Lane County is a vibrant, active chapter of a 30-year-old national professional mentoring network, proven to disrupt generational poverty by providing paid, professional mentors that work with children throughout their childhood and wraparound services for their caregivers. 12+ years – no matter what.

We are currently seeking an extraordinary professional mentor for our Childhood program (kindergarten to 5th Grade) to serve as a positive adult role model to eight elementary aged female children.

At Friends of the Children, we put children first and use our values to change the way the world treats and views youth facing great barriers. As a Friend you will nurture long‑term relationships from a foundation of love, acceptance, and practices. Do you want to help urban, rural, and Indigenous youth discover their limitless potential, by fostering their internal resiliency?

Are you ready to help build relationships within the communities of our youth and families to strengthen social networks and provide bridges to new opportunities? If so, the impactful role of a Friend might be for you.

We will hire extraordinary individuals who have knowledge of Lane County and are looking to develop intensive, long‑term, trusting relationships with children in our innovative program. A Friend will work with eight (8) children.

• Develop and sustain a long‑term, caring, protective, and loving relationship with each child.
• Spend time with children, one‑on‑one and in the classroom.
• Partner with parents/caregivers to provide concrete and social emotional supports for the family.
• Set age‑appropriate expectations and goals based on each child’s strengths, talents, abilities, and needs.
• Teach life skills and help develop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child.
• Develop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child to experience growing confidence.
• Deepen connections for youth through incorporating specific community knowledge in activities.
• Provide enrichment resources and activities that include opportunities for identity development.
• Develop positive relationships with families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life.
• Reinforce basic academic skills.
• Develop physical health and interest in activities including modeling through participation with youth in safe, active play and sports activities.
• Maintain a 40‑hour work schedule that includes afternoons, evenings, and possibly weekends.
• Maintain spending within budgetary guidelines.
• Complete, distribute, and collect time summaries, activity journals, short‑term plans, expense reports, and evaluation materials accurately and in a timely manner.
• Attend and actively participate in team meetings and staff functions.
• Maintain current driver’s license, good driving record, and vehicle insurance.
• Maintain First Aid/CPR certification.
• Transport children in personal vehicle or company vehicle as required for mentoring activities.
• Provide information and support to the executive team on related activities.
• Fulfill other responsibilities as requested.

• 2 or 4‑year degree, plus one to three years’ experience working/volunteering with children, mentoring experience is preferred.
• Alternatively, comparable work experience with youth in a professional social service; education or therapeutic setting or work with trauma impacted families.
• Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings.
• Ability to develop trusting relationships with children, families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life.
• Experience with utilizing social and emotional learning curricula.
• Willingness to commit for a minimum of three years.
• Superior scheduling and time management skills.
• Data entry and database management skills.
• Bi‑lingual in Spanish and English is a plus.

• You’ll be part of a friendly and collaborative workplace, where work‑life balance is respected.
• You’ll be part of a dynamic and supportive national network, with a proven, evidence‑based mentoring model.
• You’ll have new challenges daily. We commit to…