Mentor Description

Purpose

Helping women achieve self-sufficiency and confidence through one-on-one money management discussions

Duties/Responsibilities

Mentors work one-on-one with participants to assist them in applying what they learned in the basic money management workshop series to their personal situation. Mentors work with participants on setting and reaching short-term financial goals, as well as setting long-term goals and establishing steps to reach them. Short-term goals typically include budgeting, opening and managing a bank account, saving, and reducing debt. Long-term goals typically include purchasing a new vehicle, owning a home, saving for children's education, and eliminating debt.

Short-term and long-term goals may extend beyond basic financial goals to include topics such as job searching, finding affordable housing and childcare, and going back to school. Mentors serve as a source of information and encouragement as participants work toward their goals. Mentors are not social workers or counselors and are not expected to assist participants with situations outside the scope of money management.

Expectations

Volunteers do not need to have previous mentoring experience; however, basic money management skills are preferred. Volunteers are required to attend a four-hour training on interpersonal relationship building and how to discuss money management practices with participants.

Volunteers should be comfortable working with individuals from an array of backgrounds and have the ability to accept individuals with different values and lifestyles than their own. Volunteers should respect participants' rights to self-determination and independence. Volunteers should display common sense, intelligence, friendliness, maturity, sensitivity, and responsibility.

Time Commitment

Volunteers can expect to commit an average of ten hours per participant. Mentors typically meet with their mentee every 1-2 weeks, for a total of six meetings. Meetings generally last 1 - 1 1/2 hours. After each meeting, mentors are required to submit a brief form outlining the progress of the mentee. There are three workshop series (fall, winter, spring), and mentors are expected to be available for one or more series each year. A required, four hour training will be provided for new mentors.

Location

Women United encourages mentors to meet at locations conveniently located near the mentee's residence. This may require mentors to meet with mentees outside of Ames, but within Story County. During the initial training, volunteers will have the opportunity to provide travel preferences. The Women United Coordinator will consider travel preferences when matching mentors and participants.

Benefits

Satisfaction of helping women work toward and achieve financial goals
Personal development through experience with diverse lifestyles, personalities, and cultures
Exposure to community resources available to disadvantaged individuals
Recognition for service to the community

Support

Lunch & Learns will be offered each year. Lunch & Learns are opportunities for mentors to receive additional training and share and receive feedback from other mentors. Additional training topics may include coaching, listening, community resources, mentee job searching, affordable housing, child care, education, or stress management.
Mentors will receive ongoing support and recognition from the Women United Director
Mentors will receive a quarterly E-Newsletter

Women United is looking for women interested in serving as mentors! Volunteers do not need to have previous mentoring experience; however, basic money management skills are preferred. If you're interested in becoming a mentor, please contact Jerri by email at jbaumeister@uwstory.org or by phone at (515) 268-5142.