Based on best practices in the mentoring field, the Girls/Boyz First Mentoring Program Director promotes and coordinates Girls/Boyz First Mentoring — a program that supports youth in need of an extra caring and motivating adult. The GBF Program Director matches these youth with a mentor, an adult in the community, nurtures the relationship between the mentor and the youth (and their families), plans group events, and arranges enrichment opportunities for the youth.

The Director:
● Recruits, screens, trains, matches, supervises and provides on-going support for all mentors including but not limited to quarterly group support meetings, phone/e-mail support and face to face meetings. The program coordinator regularly maintains the on-line mentor tracking system. She/he conducts a yearly mentor appreciation event to honor the program’s volunteer mentors.
● Recruits and screens children and youth who might benefit from the mentor relationship, orients the mentee and their family to the program and maintains ongoing contact with the mentee and family during the mentoring relationship.
● Develops, refines and evaluates programmatic content and activities. This includes, but is not limited to, group recreational and educational needs, community volunteer opportunities, in-service trainings for mentors, mentees and families, and program evaluation.
● Leads fundraising for the Mentoring Program: Coordinates and completes grant applications and reports, communicates with major funders, maintains fundraising/application calendar, and collaborates with the Mentoring Advisory Board. Solicits community wide in-kind contributions.
● Promotes mentoring throughout Montpelier and the Washington Central Supervisory Union through public speaking, print, radio and social networking venues. The Mentoring Program Director participates in broader community, regional and state wide mentoring networks and initiatives, including Mentor Vermont. Collaborates with local schools and other community organizations that are working directly with youth.
● Reports to and is evaluated by WCFE Executive Director and Mentoring Advisory Board.

The Mentoring Program Director position is 0.75 FTE with flexibility and benefits. Position to begin August/September 2021. Interviews to begin in July. Salary and benefits commensurate with experience: $22-$25/hour, negotiable. Benefits: prorated contribution to Health Savings Account.
Paid employee leave time: holidays, vacation, sick days, personal days.

Email resume and letter of application to girlsboyzfirst@gmail.com

Girls/Boyz First provides opportunities to strengthen the Central Vermont community by building and supporting relationships between youth (and their families) and adult mentors. We provide our mentees with high-quality, long-term mentoring relationships that inspire, support and enable them to realize their full potential. In so doing, we prepare them for successful futures as productive, responsible and caring individuals. Since 1998, Girls/Boyz First has provided over 200 mentors to Central Vermont youth, ages 8-18. Our youth come from Montpelier, Middlesex, Worcester, Berlin, Calais and East Montpelier. Many GBF mentees are from families struggling with economic well-being as measured by their enrollment in school free lunch programs.

On behalf of the kids, families and central Vermont community that we serve, I want to thank all our GBF mentors from the bottom of my heart for all the love, time, energy and positive coaching that you give to mentees. Whether your mentee has been matched with you for one month or 10 years, whether they can articulate it verbally and thank you or let you know how much they appreciate you, KNOW that they do!
Have a healthy and enjoyable holiday time. In these times, we need and appreciate the work you do as volunteer mentors more than ever.
Wendy Freundlich, Program Director GBF

16 year old Josh Farber looks up from his notes as he presents a short overview of Social Media and Teens for GBF mentors.
Nine GBF mentors attended and a good discussion was had.

For the past several years, GBF has asked the Middlesex voters for a $1500 donation at town meeting. The community has been very generous and has voted yes each time. In order to get on the ballot, we need to obtain 80 signatures from Middlesex voters. We will do this this year at Rumney school on Saturday, November 5 from 5:00-5:45, because they are hosting the annual community wide Harvest Dinner fundraiser for the food shelf and Rumney healthy meals.

We would love to have some help. If we could find 3 others, we would each need to gather 20 signatures and we would be done in 20 minutes.

Any volunteers? Mentees are welcome, too.

Thanks!

On September 11, 5 GBF pairs took advantage of a beautiful fall day to ride the bike path in Stowe. An early fall from one of the youngest riders taught everyone in the group a get up and brush off resiliency. The rest of the time the group enjoyed great camaraderie and nice exercise.

 

 

Girls/Boyz First Mentoring is pleased to announce the award of a $12,500 grant from Mobius, Vermont’s statewide mentoring organization. We are grateful for the support for Mobius . This grant is crucial to the sustainability of Girls/Boyz First. With this grant, GBF is able to maintain the high level of success that our organization is known for. The adult mentors we match with youth, the cultural and educational enrichment activities we offer and the collaboration GBF has with families, schools and communities in central Vermont helps create successful outcomes for our kids.