What is a Mentor?
The DC Dream Center mentoring program aims to partner children with loving, consistent adults.
About Mentoring
The DC Dream Center offers many programs designed to meet the needs of youth in the Southeast D.C. community. Volunteer opportunities, like the mentorship program, pair kids with responsible adults looking to make a real difference in a young person’s life. This program can change the lives of both the child and the mentor. One mentee, Tiwiya, explains, “Mentors are valuable. They give that extra push, they encourage you. We all need guidance. I love my mentor, she is family to me.”
There are dozens of kids in the community looking to the DC Dream Center for an opportunity like Tiwiya’s to grow through this program, and this can only become a reality if more people choose to support this organization. This year-long mentorship help kids realize and reach their full potential and many mentors choose to maximize their impact by continuing the mentorship until the child becomes an adult.
Interested in being a Mentor or Mentee?
If you are interested in joining DC/DC as a mentor or a mentee, fill out our form and we will be in touch.
Jason
Mentor for 7 years
My mentee, Janovah, has changed my life. It’s really disingenuous to call him my mentee, because the reality is, he’s one of my most thoughtful, generous and loyal friends.
Janovah
Mentee for 7 years
Mentoring means a lot to me. It’s changed my life. I met Mr. Jason and he made me into a better person.
My relationship with my mentee has brought me so much joy! I have learned so much about compassion and perseverance from this young lady, along with some sweet dance moves. She enriches my life and reminds me to bring fun and spontaneity to the ordinary moments of life. I am grateful for the opportunity to invest in her life and to get to do that alongside other mentors and mentees involved with the DC Dream Center mentoring program.
Mentoring has changed me because it has helped me to stay grounded and appreciate the insights of individuals in a different life stage than myself. It has been a huge blessing to get to spend time together having fun but also growing and learning more about God together. I have been encouraged by my time with my mentee and also in community with others who are engaged in the mentoring program. I love my mentee because she is incredibly confident and smart and has a kind heart. I enjoy our time together serving, talking and having fun with activities around DC. It has been a really important part of my life over the last two years.
What is the mentoring program? What are your goals?
The DC Dream Center mentoring program aims to partner children with loving, consistent adults. This is a Christian, faith-based program with the intention of assisting the development of self-reliant young adults who want to serve and follow Jesus with their lives.
Why do you have a mentoring program?
In Southeast, there are more children than in any other quadrant in D.C., but there are also more single-parent homes, more teenage pregnancies, and more incarcerated males. All children need adults to reach out to them; some children are less likely to have adults available to do that.
Who are your mentors?
DC Dream Center mentors are loving, committed adults who have intentional one-on-one friendships with children and teens in Southeast D.C. They are fun, patient, flexible, and highly dependable individuals.
What types of activities to mentors do with mentees?
Anything! From chores at the house to rollercoasters with other mentors and mentees, our mentors are given total flexibility, without pressure or agenda, to schedule their time with their mentees. These children need consistency more than anything. As long as you love your mentee, we have every confidence that you’ll have fun together and build meaningful memories!
Is a focus made toward education?
Absolutely. Mentors build relationships with parents and teachers, and help tutor their mentee in order to improve academic performance.
What is the time commitment?
Mentoring relationships last for a minimum of one year and include a time commitment of approximately 10 hours per month spent with the mentee. Mentors and mentees meet during mutually agreeable times, primarily in the evenings and on weekends.
What is the application process?
Prospective mentors must submit to security background checks with the FBI and the Child Protection Register, in addition to an in-person interview and the provision of a driver’s record and personal references. This extensive process ensures the safety of every child in our program.
What’s the best thing about becoming a mentor?
You will have the personal opportunity to change a young person’s life! You will be given the chance to make a significant impact on the heart and life of a child in Southeast D.C., and your love will lead. But the best thing about the mentoring program? You’ll gain a new friend who will change your life every bit as much as you change theirs.
What ages are the mentees that you seek mentors for?
We seek mentors for children between the ages of 8-17. Many of our mentees are older than 17, but the mentees don’t initiate relationships beyond the age of 17.
Which children are eligible for the mentoring program?
There is not a set criteria for prospective mentees. While most of the children in the program live in Southeast Washington, D.C, there is no set geographic restriction regarding mentees in D.C.
How do parents learn about the mentoring program?
Historically, parents have learned about the mentoring program through their friends or through their personal relationships with staff and volunteers at the DC Dream Center. We welcome parents to connect with us with the form above.
Do you guarantee a mentor for each child?
At this time, we cannot guarantee a mentor for every child. If both the mentee and their guardian want a mentor, DC|DC will do our best to find a suitable mentor for the child.
What time commitment do mentors make?
Mentors commit to spending 10 hours a month with mentees over the course of one year. Relationships frequently last longer than a year, but this is the minimum commitment.
Do mentors submit to background checks and participate in training?
Yes. Prospective mentors must submit to security background checks with the FBI and the Child Protection Register, in addition to an in-person interview and the provision of a driver’s record and personal references. Each new mentor participates in a training with other new mentors. This extensive process ensures the safety of every child in our program to the best of our abilities.