Mentor With Us
When you were in college, did you ace every test or manage your time perfectly? Now imagine raising a child while working toward your degree.
Mentoring is a core component of Generation Hope’s wrap-around support for young parents in college and for their families. Our Mentors build lasting bonds with Scholars, providing them with encouragement and consistent support for the duration of their college journey.
We’re currently accepting Mentor applications! Apply today to support a young family on the road to a college degree!
Individual Mentors
Generation Hope’s individual mentors (i.e. Sponsors) are caring individuals who invest in the educational success of teen parents who are attending college across the Washington, DC metro area or in New Orleans. As an individual mentor, you will be matched one-on-one with a young parent in our program and help them get to the graduation stage by providing emotional support, guidance, and cheerleading throughout their college career. As an individual mentor you will:
Provide emotional support, and consistent encouragement to your Scholar by meeting with your Scholar once per month for a fun activity (perhaps a movie, coffee, exercise class, walk, etc.) and regular check-ins at least every other week over the phone, via text, or email.
Contribute either $1,200/year (or $100 monthly) in tuition assistance for a Scholar who is attending a community college or $2,400/year (or $200 monthly) in tuition assistance for a Scholar who is attending a four-year college — until your Scholar graduates.
Participate in a one-day initial training and at least one other training throughout each year.
Time commitment: One-hour monthly mentoring get-togethers with your Scholar throughout their college career, one initial training, and one additional 3-hour training in the fall or spring. Events are always metro accessible
Location: Washington, DC area and New Orleans
*Mentor applicants must complete a background check, participate in an interview, and attend an orientation training.
Group Mentors
Generation Hope’s group mentors (i.e. Resource Families) gather together to make a lasting impact on a Scholar and their child in our early childhood program Next Generation Academy. This is a great opportunity to volunteer as a family (children included) or a group of friends, coworkers, or colleagues. Groups make a two-year commitment during which they build a relationship with a Scholar and their child, make connections to needed resources within their networks, and directly invest in the early childhood success of a teen parent's little one. As a group mentor, you will:
Expand your a Scholar and child’s social capital by connecting them with individuals, organizations, and resources within your network to help them thrive.
Contribute what you can to your Scholar’s wishlist in the fall and spring semesters. The wishlist includes items to help meet a Scholar Family’s basic needs (such as diapers, school supplies, and gas cards).
Donate $100 per month (or $1,200 annually) towards your Scholar Family’s Education Fund, which helps Scholars enroll their children in high-quality childcare and provides for other enrichment activities.
Get to know your Scholar Family throughout the year by attending at least 6 group dinners.
Time Commitment: At least 6 one-hour-monthly group dinners, a 3-hour initial training, and one additional 2-hour training each year. We strive to hold events at metro-accessible locations, and childcare is always available.
Location: Washington, DC area
*Resource Family applicants must complete a background check, participate in an interview, and attend an orientation training.
Financially Sponsor a Scholar
We are looking for individuals to help Sponsor a scholarship for a Generation Hope Scholar! This direct-giving opportunity allows you to make a tangible difference in the life of a young family, while Generation Hope matches them with a mentor. You'll have the opportunity to follow their journey through regular updates. You can provide a contribution of $1,200/year (for Scholars attending 2-year colleges) or a contribution of $2,400/year (for Scholars attending 4-year colleges). The financial contribution is fully tax deductible and can be contributed annually, bi-annually, or monthly.
If you are not able to sponsor a full scholarship, any amount helps and can go towards a Scholar's tuition. For more information on sponsoring a scholarship, feel free to reach out to our Vice President of Family Programming, Caroline Griswold Short at caroline@generationhope.org
See our mentoring in action.
Hear from one of our individual mentors (i.e. Sponsors) Kerry-Ann on what her mentoring experience has been like with her Scholar Briana.
If you have questions, or if you're interested in a financial-only sponsorship, please contact Director of Programming Caroline Griswold Short at caroline@generationhope.org or 202-642-5649.