BUILDING BONDS ACROSS GENERATIONS

The Butterfly Sister Troop Mentoring Program is designed to give girls ages 8-18 an opportunity to have a one-on-one relationship with a professional woman.  Because we are  a small organization, it allows us to foster an environment where mentees can have individual mentoring and personal relationships with their mentors over a long period of time.  The core of the mentoring experience for at-risk girls is stability. Through these relationships, as well as recreational and group activities, mentors provide friendship, support, and guidance to your child. The mentors are there to act as a positive role model and confidant. 

The Butterfly Sister Troop Mentoring Program is not a tutoring program. While sometimes pairs decide together to work on school work, this is not a requirement for the mentors. There are many other programs that focus on tutoring if you feel that your child needs academic support. The Butterfly Sister Troop Mentoring Program focuses on fostering lasting and meaningful relationships between the mentor and mentee rather than concentrating just on academics. 

It is the responsibility of each mentor-mentee pair to decide on a transportation plan that will work for them. If the mentor does have a car and is willing to drive your child, you will need to fill out a waiver form. If the mentor does not have a car and you cannot help with the transportation of your child, we often recommend that the mentor and mentee try to meet at a location that would be a midpoint and convenient for both.  

Mentors are RBB volunteers and students from a variety of different backgrounds. They have been interviewed, trained, had their references checked, and carefully matched with girls. Mentors have a variety of motivations for getting involved with the program. However, all mentors want to be a positive role model in a girl’s life. 

Meetings will be at a day and time convenient to you, your child, and the mentor. There is no scheduled location or activity for the meetings. Rather, mentors will call your child to set up plans for the week. Activities range from going to the library, to visiting college campuses, to seeing movies, or sporting activities. All activities are agreed upon by you, your child, and the mentor.

The only events that are pre-arranged are monthly events that we hold for the entire organization. These events typically take place on Friday evenings or Saturday afternoons. You will be informed of these events by your child’s mentor, as well as by mailings that we will send out the week prior to the event.

Have your child call his or her mentor and reschedule the meeting to a time that is more convenient. Be sure to keep the phone numbers of the mentor handy so that you or your child can call them when needed. If you cannot reach the mentor, please call Raising BeYOUtiful Butterflies at 404-548-8089 and leave a message with the Youth Mentor Program. 

The mentor should compliment or add to family opportunities. Time with the mentor is not intended to displace time with the family. You should continue your normal family plans. The mentor and your child should plan their time together around your family’s normal schedule as much as possible. It may help to let your child and their mentor know about planned family events in advance to help avoid conflicts. 

A mentoring relationship is special in part because it is a one-on-one relationship. Even teens that feel very close to their parents sometimes need to talk with friends outside of the family. The mentor is an adult friend with whom your daughter can talk about things that concern her. Please respect their private time together. Moreover, mentors are not baby-sitters and cannot be responsible for anyone except their mentee.  

The mentor and your daughter will inform you about their plans each week. If at any time you are uncomfortable with their plans, please let us know. Mentors will be sensitive to your parental concerns and will try to find an arrangement that is acceptable to you.

In the beginning, talk to the mentor about any rules or regulations that you expect to arise in her relationship with your daughter. If you have strict rules about curfew, activities in which your daughter may not participate, etc. then please discuss these with the mentor. By making this information known at the beginning, you can help avoid misunderstandings later. 

No matter how carefully we match mentors and mentees, you may find that some areas of your beliefs and ideas differ with those of the mentor’s. If there are important issues to you, please let the mentor know. You can request that the mentor NOT question your most important beliefs or values when with your child.

Mentors and mentees always pay for their own expenses. If there is a cost for an activity, then you or your child will be responsible for the youth’s fair share. Monthly events at Raising BeYOUtiful Butterflies are cost-free; we also provide the mentors with many low-cost or no-cost activity suggestions. As with any friend, mentors may treat your child occasionally, but it should not be expected on a regular basis.

Get to know the mentor well enough to feel comfortable with her being with you daughter. Before each meeting, discuss the plans and times for returning home. Try talking directly to the mentor about your concerns, but please avoid talking to the mentor about your daughter in front of her. If there is something the mentor should really know, then call them when your daughter is not around. 

Please feel free to contact the President, Dr. Trinise Foster by phone at 404-548-8089 or email at fostert@raisingbeyoutifulbutterflies.org. She is here to make the Youth Mentor Program work for students, mentors, and parents. You will receive a call at least several times during the year to see how things are going. But don’t wait for them to call! We would like to know about anything that concerns you as soon as possible.