Be A Mentor For Someone Special

 The Hawaii National Guard Youth ChalleNGe Academy is very successful with its 16-19 year old youth in a non-traditional program. Eighty-three percent of the youth that volunteer for our quasi-military based 17-month program (5 months residential and 12 months post-residential) will receive their high school diploma. Those youth would never have earned their diploma otherwise in a traditional school setting. We have made some astounding progress in redirecting the lives of these youth. Our Cadets who complete the program are very proud to say that most of our graduates are now productive, respectable, and responsible citizens in our community. 

We need your assistance during the post-residential phase of the program. When our students return home after completion of the residential phase to pursue their future endeavors in employment, enlistment in a military service, or higher education, the values of self discipline, motivation, respect, responsibility, focus, and determination learned at Youth ChalleNGe can easily be lost when in the home environment. We need good role models, successful people like you, to make a difference by serving as a volunteer mentor. You are that caring adult outside of the family, who is willing to provide support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement and assistance.

Mentor qualifications

• You must be drug free
• 23 years of age or older
• Have the ability to communicate, and be willing to spend some quality time in finding out how he or she is doing and if they need assistance.
• You must be cleared by a police records check (no DUIs, felonies, sex crimes, and alcohol or substance abuse within the last 5 years).
• We also require two favorable character references.
• You cannot be an immediate family member or living in the same household.
• Matching will be by same gender, similar interest, and close geographical location.
• You will also be required to attend a Mentor Training Workshop.

 

We may not be able to resolve all the problems regarding our high school youth in Hawaii, but we sure can make a difference if we all work together as a team. Help us, help the youth in our community.

For more information, please contact:
Mrs. Margaret Tatum, Assistant Mentor Coordinator
Phone:  808 673 7530 ext. 207

 OR

Ms. Gail Fujimoto, Case Manager
Phone:  808 673 7530 ext. 218