Mentors
Minnesota Adult & Teen Challenge’s Mentor Program connects a person from the local community with a client in our program. Mentors encourage clients to live out their faith in everyday situations while maintaining their sobriety, and the results can be life-changing!
With new clients continually entering the program, we have an ongoing need for mentors. Clients are paired with a mentor who best matches their needs and interests. Once paired, mentors meet with a client one-on-one for a minimum of two times a month over the course of a year.
Mentor Qualifications:
- Have a mature Christian faith
- Be at least 25 years of age and have a valid driver’s license
- Be able to meet one-on-one with a client twice a month, in person, over the course of a year (typically on weeknights or Saturdays)
If you are interested in becoming a MnTC mentor, please email our Mentor Program Manager, Kristi Hedstrom, at kristi.hedstrom@mntc.org, or apply online by clicking the Mentoring Opportunities button below.
Mentors Help To Shape Lives
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the mentor commitment involve?
Mentors meet with clients one-on-one for a minimum of two times a month for several hours each visit. Most often, mentors and mentees meet on Saturdays or on weekday evenings. This is a 12-month commitment; you will be paired with a current client in the long-term program and continue to meet with them for several months after they complete the program.
Do I need to have special experience in mentoring and counseling?
No. We are blessed to have highly trained Chaplain, Alcohol & Chemical Dependency, and Mental Health professionals on staff who work with our clients. Mentors are simply mature Christians walking out their faith and willing to share their journey. The rewards can be profound for both the mentee and the mentor.
Do I need to have an addiction background and be in recovery?
No. Many of our mentors do not have a background in addiction. This is a Christian mentoring program rather than a recovery program such as Alcoholics Anonymous. If you are in long-term recovery that’s fine, but the focus is in walking out the Christian life in practical ways.
What do we do with our mentees?
Keep it simple and relational. You can visit in the comfort of one of our residences, or go on a mentor pass to take a walk or get a cup of coffee. You may share a meal or go on an outing to a movie, a game, or a church event.
What is involved in applying?
We have an easy process for you to apply online at our volunteer site: http://volunteer.mntc.org. Filling out an application does not commit you to mentoring, and the website allows you to explore other volunteer opportunities as alternatives to mentoring. The application, should you choose to complete it, takes about twenty minutes.
Here are the steps in the application process:
- Complete a brief application sharing contact information, your faith journey, and why you’re exploring mentoring.
- In adherence with state law, we do an initial background check and will need your social security number. Our site is secure and we will delete your number immediately after the check. You can call us if security is a concern.
- We also request a brief Character Reference from someone who knows you well from church, work, or from your personal network. We will send them a confidential email and ask them to share why they think you would be a good mentor for one of our clients.
- Once we receive your completed application, we will invite you to attend a Mentor Orientation and complete a DHS background check, which involves fingerprinting.
- The final step will be a face-to-face meeting with one of our Client Care Managers to make sure this is a good fit and to assign you to a mentee.
Should I be concerned about visiting the Minneapolis locations?
All of our locations are very secure and in largely residential neighborhoods in Minneapolis.
Should I be concerned about being with my mentee?
Our clients, although struggling with addiction, are not violent offenders. They’ve made some mistakes in their addiction, but you will find them to be surprisingly gracious and deeply appreciative of your willingness to visit with them. You do need to have some boundaries, which are outlined in our Mentor Handbook.
Can I mentor multiple clients at the same time?
In order to be most effective, you may only mentor one client at a time.
Will I be supported and trained?
We are committed to supporting you each step of the way. Our Mentor Orientation includes an overview of our policies and procedures, as well as helpful mentoring tips. In addition to the initial mentor orientation, we offer mentor trainings several times a year. These optional trainings provide the opportunity for you to share with other mentors what we refer to as “best practices” and allow you to learn from our staff how to most effectively work with clients.