Mentoring Programs
We’re innovating and adapting our programs to expand our reach to more youth and recruit more mentors. We’re investing in new technology to support these initiatives and make mentoring more accessible.
Watch the video to learn more about our new text-based app, MentorHub, and other ways we’re maximizing our impact.
Community-Based
Bigs and Littles meet weekly on their own and usually do different activities in the community. The mentor will contact the Little’s guardian and schedule a time to meet during the week or weekend.
We are currently conducting volunteer interviews in person. Match introductions are also taking place in-person and matches are expected to meet in-person, supplementing with virtual interaction as needed.
Bigs and Littles meet weekly during the school year at a designated place. To ensure everyone’s safety, this program is in person where mentors will focus on providing their Little with one-on-one guidance and support.
Our staff will support matches by providing different conversation topics and helping navigate potential issues. The program is only active when school is in session and will resume the following year.
Volunteer interviews may take place virtually or in-person at the volunteer’s preference. Matches will be introduced in-person and begin meeting with their little in person. If for any reason, in-person visits are not allowed, we will connect Bigs and Littles on a virtual platform.
Site-Based
Site-Based: Diversity-Focused
This is a virtual mentoring program that is focused on providing diverse youth in Metro Nashville Public Schools with supportive mentors. Mentoring will take place through an app called MentorHub and volunteers are expected to maintain weekly contact with their Littles for at least one year. This program is only active when school is in session. Enrollment is open now for the 2022-2023 school year.
E-Mentoring
This is a virtual mentoring program that gives Bigs the flexibility to mentor on their own time and build a connection with a teenager using technology as a shared space. This program strives to help high school students develop personal, academic and career skills.
Bigs work on a number of structured online exercises with their Little throughout the school year to find career paths that might interest them. We work with students at Antioch High School and the program is only active when school is in session.
Volunteer interviews may take place
virtually or in-person at the volunteer’s preference. This program is primarily
virtual, with only 2 – 3 in-person meetings required per year.
This program focuses on developing one-to-one mentoring relationships through participatory and spectator sporting events. Our staff plans a variety of activities for Bigs and Littles to engage in to help build positive and healthy relationships.
Activities include watching professional, collegiate and high school sporting events, as well as participatory activities like capture the flag, dodgeball, kickball, flag football, hiking and fishing. Events take place on Saturdays and last 2 – 4 hours. Mentors are expected to meet with their Littles twice a month.
We are currently conducting volunteer interviews in person. Match introductions and Sports Buddies events are also taking place in-person.
Sports Buddies
Mentor Corps
This is a selective, cohort-based fellowship designed to expand our impact to more youth through group mentoring. Mentor Corps Fellows are matched with an average of 10 Littles, depending on the program and fellowship term, where they meet throughout the week to facilitate ongoing professional development and coaching.
Mentor Corps Fellows are selected and trained to serve as one-to-one mentors in our program for 6-12 months and are compensated accordingly.
