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Becoming a Mentor...
The place to start the process of becoming a mentor is by attending a mentor training workshop or individual training session. AIMS provides you with the basic information and lists the times and locations where mentor training sessions are held. Group sessions are scheduled at the beginning of the school year. Individual sessions are available and may be scheduled through the AIMS office. It is helpful if you would call the mentor office in advance before attending a group session, so an adequate number of materials are informational items is available for the training and information session. The phone number to call is (630) 259-8415.
After you attend a mentor training session, you are required to complete a security check. This consists of going to an area location where the security check is available. This information is available at the training session. The security check consists of an Illinois State Police and an FBI report. The cost of this security check is paid for by AIMS. It usually takes about a week to receive the results of the security check.
Being a Mentor...
Each mentor is given the opportunity to mentor a child at a school that the mentor chooses. The new mentor may pick the grade level of the student or take a child that is suggested by the site coordinator. Meetings are generally held with the AIMS site coordinator of the school to determine the best match for you, and school routines will be reviewed. An attempt is made to match the interests of the mentor with the interests of the child in order to have the best match possible.
The mentoring session is held with the child one time each week during the lunch period. The mentor may choose the day of the week that best fits the mentor’s schedule. If a mentor is unable to mentor on the designated day, the mentor may switch to another day that week. The mentor contacts the AIMS site coordinator if there is a need to change the regularly scheduled mentoring day to a different day.
A mentor may go on vacation for a two- or even three-week period from time to time. Should this occur, we request the mentor to inform the student of this change in schedule. Should a mentor be out of town for more than a week, the mentor is encouraged to send a card or letter to the child at school. This will assure the child that the mentor truly cares for him/her.
During the training session, you will learn about the importance of being a mentor and that confidentiality is critical. You will be given lists of possible activities for your mentor-mentee sessions. We also provide you with support for this important work. We will also share ideas for activities that work as mentors share their stories.
Many children need mentors! Mentors provide an important link, a connection to a child whose life will be changed because of an adult’s (your) involvement. Give mentoring a try!
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Schools With AIMS Mentors....
AIMS currently has mentors in the following public school districts and one parochial school located in the western suburbs of Chicago, Illinois:
- Bloomingdale Elementary School District #13
- Itasca Elementary School District #10
- Keeneyville Elementary School District #20
- Medinah Elementary School District #11
- Roselle Elementary School District # 12
- Trinity Lutheran School in Roselle
- Lake Park High School District #108 in Roselle
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Out of the AIMS Area?....
What if you wish to be a mentor but live in an area that is not served by AIMS? If you live in another area of the country and want to be a mentor, contact your local school and find out if they have a mentor program. If not, ask if there is anyway you can help children in that particular school. Many schools look for caring adults to assist children and provide a positive role model for a child. You can also check out the web site www.mentoring.org. It provides links to locations in various states where mentors are used and needed. You may also contact Ken Black, the coordinator of AIMS, for suggestions on how a mentoring program might get started in a school where you live.
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