Mentor Match Leaves Lasting Impact
Kids ‘n Kinship is happy to share this Mentor Match with the members of Faith Covenant. We provide friendships and positive role models to children and youth ages 5 to 16 who are in need of an additional supportive relationship with an adult. Kids ‘n Kinship offers pre-match training and ongoing support and supervision to every one of our mentoring matches. Our labor of love in each match is shown in the long-lasting friendships that are part of our program. The national average length of a mentoring match is 9-11 months. However, with the intention and attention we give each relationship we are happy to say our average match length at Kids ‘n Kinship is 3 years; with many matches often lasting longer!
This memorable match passed their 3-year anniversary last year!
Mentor Sally shared with us the following:
“Being a part of my mentee’s life the last 3 years has been such a wonderful experience! We both expose each other to new things and enjoy exploring new activities together. We enjoy our weekly time building a great, fun relationship! We’re able to talk and connect in ways like close friends do. So it’s been great gaining that level of trust and being able to be a source of support and encouragement for her! It’s been really fun and rewarding to see the changes that our relationship has made in each of our lives. I look forward to being a part of her life for many years ahead and hope to be a positive influence in her life in any way that I can, hopefully encouraging her to ‘pay it forward’ one day, too!”
Mentee Kendra shared the following when asked to think on what she had gained or learned from this experience:
“I learned to love the outdoors more, and have another person to talk to.” When asked what she likes most about having a Kids ‘n Kinship mentor she said, “To be able to have someone to talk to and try other things that I normally don’t do.”
Kendra’s guardian, when asked if she saw this match as a positive connection shared, “Oh, yes!” She notes on her perspective, “[I’m] Enjoying it. As she has gotten older it has been nice to see her continue to enjoy their time and seems to be owning the relationship more. It is just nice to have such a nice person in her life to talk with things about that isn’t myself as her mom. Supportive, consistent, and a great role model for Kendra. Sally really is just a great mentor and the two are a good pair.”
Currently 50 youth are waiting for a Mentor like you! For more information about mentoring in your community or to apply to volunteer, please contact Kids ‘n Kinship at programs@kidsnkinship.org or 612.521.4374.