ABOUT US
Chaffee County Mentors is committed to strengthening our community by connecting our young people to purpose and self-worth through postive mentoring relationships.
Chaffee County Mentors is modeled after Big Brothers Big Sisters of America and was founded in 2003 through a collaboration of Chaffee County Health and Human Services, Build a Generation, and Salida and Buena Vista School Districts. In 2006, we joined forces with Nurturing Parenting and Youth at Crossroads to form Family & Youth Initiatives (FYI), a prevention branch of Chaffee County Health & Human Services. Under FYI, our research-based mentoring programs have evolved to meet the unique needs of our community. Keep reading to find out more ….
Community-Based Mentoring
Volunteer Mentoring
Modeled after Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Traditional Mentoring provides one-on-one friendships to approximately 40 local youth ages 7 to 15. Volunteer adult mentors are matched with referred youth and serve as positive role models, supporters, and advocates. Youth are referred by teachers, counselors, social workers, and other youth professionals and may be facing challenges academically, socially, or economically. Volunteer mentors must be at least 21 years in age, have a genuine interest in young people, participate in pre-match screening and training, and commit to the program for at least one year. Mentors and kids have the opportunity to participate in monthly group activities and other structured benefits throughout the Chaffee County area. In addition to mentors, volunteers are always needed to support group activities. Contact us to find out more.
Click the link above to find out about this innovative community-based mentoring program.
School-Based Mentoring
Youth in Action, initiated in January 2005, empowers middle school students as literacy mentors for pre-school students through a weekly after-school curriculum. We meet Mondays in Buena Vista and Wednesdays in Salida and participate in activities such as reading, crafts, field trips, games, and guest speakers. Pre-schoolers are signed up by their parents at the start of each school year. Space is limited to 12 youth in BV and 8 youth in Salida. Throughout the year, parents are invited to the last meeting of each month to join in celebrating that month’s theme. Middle school students must be recommended by a teacher and complete an application and 6-hour training prior to being matched. They also attend fun on-going trainings and field trips through the year. Contact us to find out more.