Mentoring
E.A.R. mentors serve as a bridge in men and women’s transitions from life on the inside back into society, helping them to stabilize, rebuild their lives, and eventually achieve self-sufficiency and increased well-being. We provide training and on-going support to our mentors, who work in partnership with their mentees (incarcerated adults over the age of 18) to cope with the demands of reentry and reintegration into the community. Mentors and their clients work on practical needs: housing, employment, transportation, and communication. They also work on personal goals, one of which is often reunification with children and other family members.
The key to our success is the consistent presence of an experienced, concerned, and nonjudgmental adult who serves as a partner through the very challenging process of reentry, is not affiliated with the correctional system or any other institution, and who maintains a consistently encouraging presence.
An E.A.R. mentor is 21 years of age or older and willing to provide guidance in life skills. Volunteers should be prepared to make a commitment of at least six months. The mentoring relationship may last for a longer or shorter period depending on the client’s needs. The mentor will spend roughly two hours per week with the client, beginning while the client is still incarcerated. More time will be needed during the immediate post-release period and around special life events: court hearings, custody issues, and graduations. The mentor and client will develop their own relationship and patterns, and each match follows its own trajectory.
Volunteers receive 10 hours of preliminary training before mentoring. Topics covered include:
- Policies and Protocols,
- Motivational Interviewing,
- Mental Health, Substance Abuse and The Offender Population, and
- From Learned Helplessness to Resilience. An orientation at the Orleans Parish Jail required and includes a background check. Mentors will also be expected to regularly attend monthly mentor meetings, which provide support, collaboration, and continued training. E.A.R. staff provides ongoing support to our mentors.
If you are interested in becoming a E.A.R. Mentor, please click on the application link below: