One of the most powerful tools for building self-sufficiency is mentoring and job coaching, and that was the topic of discussion at a meeting today hosted by Agency Relations Services Manager George Lombardo and including a group of representatives from nine of our partner programs. The meeting was aimed at exploring how individual agencies might be able to run a mentoring program, in which a working or retired member of the community is matched with a person facing employment challenges. The concept is based on a program that George ran in Enfield 15 years ago, when he was an AmeriCops VISTA volunteer. The key is establishing a trusting, one-on-one relationship. After lively and well-informed discussion, the group decided that Foodshare will try to recruit volunteer mentors and volunteer coordinators and then connect them with partner programs what want to try this idea.
(Update: Become a volunteer mentor)
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