Professional Mentor "Friend"- Eastern Oregon

Friends of the Children • La Grande, OR

1d • Onsite

About The Position

Friends of the Children is a nonprofit organization dedicated to impacting generational change by empowering youth through relationships with professional mentors, known as "Friends." The organization provides children facing significant obstacles with a long-term, paid, professional mentor from kindergarten through high school graduation (12+ years). This particular role is for a Professional Mentor at the new Eastern Oregon location, requiring a deep appreciation and understanding of the rural and Indigenous cultures in the region. As a Friend, the individual will nurture long-term relationships built on love, acceptance, and culturally-informed practices to support positive identity development. The role involves helping youth discover their potential, fostering internal resiliency, and building relationships within communities to strengthen social networks and create new opportunities. The mentor will serve as a positive adult role model to eight elementary children, developing loving, caring, and sustained relationships. Key aspects include setting positive expectations, nurturing strengths, ensuring well-being, teaching life and academic skills, providing enrichment, and modeling responsible behavior. Friends work primarily one-on-one with children while also building trusting relationships with parents/caregivers. The role requires full documentation of activities and participation in ongoing evaluation, as well as a commitment to the organization's mission, vision, values, and principles.

Requirements

• 4-year degree in education, psychology, social work, child development, child and family studies (or similar), OR at least three years of progressive experience working with children and families, will be considered in lieu of a college degree
• First Aid/CPR certification required; employer-provided training included
• Advocate to secure additional resources, opportunities, and services for youth as appropriate
• Assist with systems navigation in schools to secure conditions for optimal academic success
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings
• Demonstrated ability to develop trusting relationships with children, families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life
• Demonstrated understanding of Indigenous cultures and ways of knowing and interweaving this knowledge in all aspects of the work
• Ability to work independently and as a team player
• Ability to manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational and time management skills

Nice To Haves

• A sense of humor is a plus

Responsibilities

• Develop and sustain a long-term, caring, protective, and loving relationship with each child
• Spend time with children, one-on-one
• Partner with parents/caregivers to provide concrete and social-emotional supports for the family
• Set realistic expectations and goals based on each child’s strengths, talents, abilities, and needs
• Teach life skills and help develop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child
• Deepen connections for youth through incorporating specific cultural knowledge and interventions in programming
• Provide enrichment resources and activities that include opportunities for identity development
• Develop positive relationships with families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life
• Reinforce basic academic skills
• Maintain a consistent 40-hour schedule with the flexibility to shape your week, including some evenings or weekends to best support our youth and families
• Maintain youth activity spending within budgetary guidelines
• Document daily activity journals, weekly schedules, youth activity expense details, and evaluation materials accurately and in a timely manner
• Attend and actively participate in team meetings and staff functions
• Maintain current driver's license, good driving record, and vehicle insurance
• Transport children in a personal vehicle as required for mentoring activities
• Provide information and support to the executive team on related activities
• Fulfill other responsibilities as requested

Benefits

• Three weeks paid vacation
• 80 hours of sick time
• Eleven paid holidays
• Employer pays 100% of employee premiums for health, dental, vision, and basic life insurance; dependent premiums are partially covered
• 401(k) with a 3% match

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 101-250 employees