Parent-Child Application Packet for  Blanquita B. Valenti Community School Student


OUR MISSION:  Create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth.

THE COMMITMENT FOR SCHOOL-BASED MENTORING:  School-based mentors make a commitment to meet with their mentees every other week for an entire school year.    
 
VOLUNTEER SCREENING PROCESS:  Each high school student volunteer applicant is carefully evaluated for acceptance as a volunteer mentor. The evaluation process consists of completing an application form, obtaining three references, background checks, a virtual interview, and attending a virtual BBBS training session.
 
MATCHING PROCESS:  This is the process in which one child from  Blanquita B. Valenti Community School is assigned to one mentor from New Brunswick P-Tech High School. Prior to a child being matched, the staff case manager meets with the child for a brief virtual interview to gather additional information that may be pertinent. Issues considered in making a match are age, interests, personalities, family life, background, and the volunteer's experience with children. Personal questions regarding the child’s life will be asked in order to create the best match possible. The mentor assigned to a child should be able to develop trust, provide friendship, motivation, and guidance, and be a proper role model for the child.
 
SUPERVISION & SUPPORT:  Each match is assigned a professional case manager who will keep regular contact with the mentor and the mentee.  The case manager is there to support the match relationship and to provide a healthy and encouraging atmosphere for all involved.


Dear Parent/Guardian:

Students at Blanquita B. Valenti Community School (BBVCS) have the opportunity to participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey (BBBSCNNJ) School-Based Mentoring program.  In the program, a child from BBVCS is “matched” with a high school volunteer mentor from New Brunswick P-Tech High School.  A high school mentor will meet once every other week to spend 75 minutes mentoring your child at Blanquita B. Valenti Community School. During this time, they will participate in activities created and facilitated by BBBSCNNJ staff.  The mentoring sessions will take place every other Tuesday from 3:15pm-4:30pm (session calendar to follow).  Each child enrolled in the program must be committed to attending every session.  If you would like your child to have this opportunity, please complete and submit this application.

If you have any questions regarding the program, please contact Dana Dennis (Senior Case Manager, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Coastal & Northern New Jersey) at: ddennis@mentornj.org or 732-444-3542.