About the Kinship North Mentoring Program
Kinship North, a program of Evergreen Youth & Family Services Community Services, is the only formal mentoring program serving Bemidji, Blackduck and Kelliher. Kinship North is an affiliate of the National Kinship network and the Minnesota Kinship Alliance.
Since 1997, Kinship North has served youth ages 5 to 15 by matching them with caring adults who will act as friends and positive role models. The mission of Kinship North is to improve the lives of children by helping them establish relationships with adult mentors who will offer stability, asset building, enrichment, support and friendship.
Why is Mentoring Important?
A mentor can be a friend, a cheerleader, a listener and a coach.
Research has shown that a child who has a mentor is less likely to become involved in high risk behaviors. Children that grow up with a mentor are less likely to:
- Use illegal drugs
- Begin using alcohol
- Skip school
- Engage in school violence
Increasing numbers of young people are missing out on something important in their lives. They lack the opportunity to establish positive, supportive relationships with adults. In addition to helping stop the negative behaviors, mentoring also improves the lives of youth by:
- Improving communication skills
- Building self-esteem
- Developing good work ethic
Why Become a Mentor?
The benefits of mentoring go both ways! Adult mentors often find the experience improves their lives in many ways. Mentoring lays the foundation for better relationships with family, friends and coworkers. Mentors often have the following experiences:
- Mentors learn more about themselves while playing a positive role in a child’s life
- Mentors gain increased patience
- Mentors have the satisfaction of knowing they have made a difference in the life of a child who needed them
- Mentors gain experience and ability to learn new skills, such as listening
- Mentors have an increased sense of responsibility and accomplishment
Download the Kinship North Mentor Application
Mentor Requirements
- Must be 18 or older
- Must be willing to go through a criminal background check and reference checks
- Must commit to one year of mentoring the same child
- Must have two hours per week to volunteer
- Must have transportation
- Must have concern for the well being of the children in the community
Mentoring Options
“One-on-One” Mentoring
Kinship North conducts extensive interviews with both potential mentors and the children coming in to the program. This gives us the opportunity to make that “perfect match” by finding common interest between individuals that make the relationship a good fit for the mentor and the child.
Family Mentoring
Mentoring as a family can be a very rewarding experience. Your Kinship Kid will benefit from having more than one caring adult mentor, plus the added fun of participating in group activities such as picnics, hiking, fishing, playing board games or just sharing a meal as a family. The children of mentor families benefit by learning that sharing their time with others is not only rewarding, but a lot of fun too!
Contact
For more information on Kinship North and how you can make a difference in the life of a child, please contact Jenn Anderson at (218) 751-8223, x136 or e-mail JAnderson@evergreenhouse.org.
For more information and stories on mentoring, go to The National Mentoring Partnership website.
