OUTAGAMIE COUNTY, WI (WTAQ) — Outagamie County has an opportunity for you to make a difference in a child’s life.
The Outagamie County Mentoring Program is looking for volunteers to mentor kids ages 6-17, who have been referred to the program by a county social worker.
“Our goal is to match them with an adult, volunteer mentor, who spends some one-on-one time with them, is a positive role model, introduces them to new interests and hobbies, and is that listening ear that they can go to and talk to about what’s going on in their life,” said Mentoring Program Coordinator Nikki Gingras.
The program currently has 45 matches. 40 kids on the waiting list are waiting to be matched; with about half of them being girls and half of them being boys.
“Boys tend to wait a lot longer to get matched than girls,” said Gingras. “This is because we do same gender matches and we get about four times more women mentor applicants than men. We’re really trying to get the word out that we need more male mentors.”
Mentors and mentees are matched based on common interests, and how well the two individuals ‘fit’ together.
The time commitment is 4-8 hours per month; and matches will last for a minimum of six months.
“We like to stress low or no cost activities,” said Gingras. “They love the nature trails and walks in the area, they like the outdoors, ice skating, sledding, sometimes they go to the mentors home and bake and cook, play with the mentors dog, do arts and crafts, play games and board games…”
To learn more about Outagamie County’s mentoring program and to get involved, click here.
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