The Peer Mentor Program is ready to start! The Mentor Program Staff and our new Peer Mentors recently provided a training program developed by the Child Welfare League of America to our foster youth (mentees) at the Home of the Innocents. 7 foster youth were selected to participate in this innovative program through a partnership developed between Boys’ Haven and HOTI. Our Peer Mentors are young adults, over the age of 18 who have experienced out of home care at some time in their life and our mentees are foster youth, ages 7-12 that are currently in care.


The training began with get acquainted activities and building a Balloon Tower to encourage team building. As we introduced this new program we talked about what a peer mentor is and the group talked about having a trusted friend. When the children were asked if they would like a “trusted friend” all hands shot up in the air! The group discussed issues that youth in care face, such as being lonely, separated from their family, moving around a lot, trust issues and feelings of anger. We then focused on how having a special friend who was older and had been in care, too, could help them. The mentees responded with such comments as, “I would have someone to really talk with and they would listen to me,” “I would share my happy and sad moments with them,” “I would have fun with my mentor,” and “They will help me with my problems.” Good communication skills were an emphasis in the training and our peer mentors and mentees used a Mr. Potato Head to demonstrate the key points. They were challenged to build a good mentee, discussing each part added to their Mr. Potato Head and why it is important in a relationship, such as ears were good for listening. Mentees also liked our Mentor-Ship activity, where they had to draw a ship on a large piece of paper and they had to place cargo on the ship that describes the good things that should be in a relationship and to throw overboard the things that describes bad things, such as onboard they placed friendship and trust and overboard the placed abusive language and illegal activity. During the training we discussed abusive relationships and the mentees signed a Pinwheel Pledge that if they were ever harmed or felt uncomfortable (or one of their friends) that they would tell a trusted adult. Peer mentors and mentees also participated in role plays that demonstrated effective mentor/mentee relationships.


The training ended with a recognition session and all mentees came forward and received a special certificate and gift and posed for a picture. The mentees were all smiles! The Peer Mentors received them with handshakes and hugs and told them how much they were looking forward to becoming friends!


The next stage of the program will happen in the next few weeks, where we will actually make one-on-one matches between the peer mentors and mentees. They will then begin weekly contact over the next year. We will also have monthly activities in the community that the peer mentors will plan. We will also help the mentees identify goals to work on with their peer mentor. Stay tuned to see what a difference these peer mentors will make in the life of a child! We’re expecting great results!