We serve at-risk youth through mentoring and encouragement.

Why I want to have a mentor...

My sisters have a mentor and I really want a male role model to look up to.

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Mentors and Proteges > FAQ for Protégés

What are the requirements for being a protégé?

Youth Horizons uses the following guidelines for those who would like to be mentored:

  • The child must want a mentor, and their parent/guardian must be in support of mentoring.
  • The child must be in a permanent living situation. Although children in foster care need mentoring, we are not equipped to follow them through their many probable transitions. Once they are reintegrated back home or in a permanent situation, they are eligible.
  • Children living at home with both biological parents are generally not our target.
  • It is not required that the child or the family members be Christian, but they must be open to a Christian mentor.

Is there a waiting list?

Yes. Typically, a child will wait about six months to be matched with a mentor. Matching is not done on a first-come, first-served basis (although that is a factor). Rather, we prayerfully consider the right person, the level of need, and many other considerations to make the match happen at its most beneficial time. The waiting time for girls is much shorter, and younger children are matched more quickly than older ones. We seek to serve every family that is referred to us. Please be patient. There is a huge demand for mentors right now, and we are actively out finding them.

Are mentors screened? What are the requirements to mentor a child?

All mentors must complete a screening process with KBI checks, a personal interview, reference checks, written application, and training. Mentors must be at least 19 years of age and active in a local church.

What kind of activities will the mentor and protégé do together?

We encourage our mentors to split up the time mentoring between spiritual activities, life skill developing activities, and fun activities. It is up to the mentor to decide what activity to do.

Can parents be involved in the mentoring process?

Yes. We want our mentors to build a relationship with the parent or guardian of the child by maintaining open lines of communication. Mentors are encouraged to partner with parents to meet some of the goals the parent has for the mentoring relationship.

Is Youth Horizons affiliated with a denomination?

No, we are a non-denominational Christian ministry. Currently, we have volunteers in over 50 different local churches, with at least 15 different denominations.

Does Youth Horizons accept special needs children into its programs?

As much as we would like to be able to do that, we are generally not equipped to handle kids with special needs – i.e., mental retardation, autism, severe disabilities, etc.

How do you match children with mentors?

We interview kids to get an idea of their personality, likes and dislikes, and what they want in a mentor. We generally match mentors with a child that fits their age preference, personal preference, general personality, hobbies, and interests. We attempt to match adults with children who live within 15 minutes from their home.

Questions

If you have questions, please call Todd Thurman, mentoring intake coordinator, at 262-8293 or you can e-mail Todd.

Refer a Child Form