FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions about Trusted Mentors.
Mentoring with Trusted Mentors
Anyone can be a mentor! Trusted Mentors need to have a good heart, a stable life, and a non-judgemental attitude. They come from all walks of life – including those who have lived the experience of reentry, homelessness, or aging out of foster care.
Mentors commit to 6 hours a month for the minimum of a year. They commit to getting together in person and keeping in contact through texts and phone calls in order to build a relationship.
Training introduces prospective mentors to the essentials of successful mentoring. It covers the dynamics of poverty and re-entry after incarceration, and provides information about how to help a person move forward in their lives.
The loaning or giving of money is against Trusted Mentors policy. Giving money will skew the relationship away from mentoring and toward the mentee feeling like they owe the mentor. Trusted Mentors can help provide information on local organizations that can help in a crisis.
The Trusted Mentor staff provides on-going support during the life of the match. They are available for consultation and also offer mentor meetings to share successes and struggles with other mentors and learn from each other’s experiences.
Mentors meet with mentee in their homes or at an agreed upon meeting place. On occasion, Trusted Mentors will provide free tickets to events in the community.
Why mentoring? Does it really help people stay housed and out of prison?
In Indianapolis, over 1,600 people are homeless on any given night, and 26% percent are individuals with families. Of the youth who age out of foster care, statistically 1 in 5 will find themselves homeless or incarcerated within 18 months of turning 18 and becoming independent. Choices often affect homelessness, but many who struggle to remain housed have difficult choices and don’t know what options they have before them. Many have given up or find that isolation is easier than moving forward. A mentor can be the support and connection to believing in themselves and that possibilities exist.
Data: 2023 Point-In-Time Count of Marion County Homeless; Annie E Casey Foundation.
Mentoring can prevent homelessness by increasing the support network for individuals and families struggling to remain housed. Poverty can be exhausting and isolating and giving up becomes an option, but a mentor can provide encouragement and options that the individual needs to move forward. Besides, 70% of corporate executives admit to having mentors. Isn’t that a good reason for everyone to have one?
Many ex-offenders leave prison with the desire to do it differently and not return, but they will have many obstacles on their journey. Statistics show that individuals who have mentors are more likely to find a job – a condition that provides more opportunities and improves other outcomes, such as housing, transportation, and community involvement.