Silver Lining Mentoring (SLM) e-Mentoring Volunteer Application/Intake Form

Silver Lining Mentoring
Silver Lining Mentoring is a nonprofit organization based in Boston, MA that empowers youth in foster care to thrive through committed mentoring relationships and the development of essential life skills. We offer a variety of programs for youth and young adults with foster care experience in our regional programs as well as with our recently launched e-Mentoring program currently available for young adults in the New England area.
Volunteer e-Mentoring Mentor Role Description

Position: Volunteer e-Mentoring Mentor
Commitment: 1+ year, Twice monthly virtual meetings
Location: Virtual, Nationwide

Are you ready to be a consistent changemaker in a young person’s life? We are seeking passionate and dedicated Volunteer e-Mentoring Mentors to support young people who are transitioning out of foster care across the United States. As a mentor, you have the incredible opportunity to provide a reliable, caring presence, helping your mentee navigate both joyful moments and challenges faced by transition aged youth. 

Key Responsibilities:

  • Commit to a meaningful mentoring relationship for at least one year, dedicating around 4 hours each month to support mentee’s life goals, build friendship and increase your mentee’s confidence.

  • Engage in a thorough assessment and training process that equips you with the tools to make a real difference.

  • Maintain open and frequent communication with the SLM team, ensuring the safety and well-being of your mentee is always a priority.

Who We’re Looking For: You don’t need a degree to be a mentor—just a caring heart and a willingness to support a young person on their journey. We celebrate diversity and are especially in need of male mentors, particularly men who are part of the global majority (black, brown, Latino, etc.), to bring their unique perspectives and experiences to the role.

Join us in this rewarding journey and help shape the future of a young person transitioning out of foster care and into adulthood. Your consistent support and companionship could change their life—and yours—in ways you never imagined. Together, we can uplift and inspire the next generation!

Silver Lining Mentoring (SLM) offers specialized mentoring services for youth impacted by foster care. Our goal with e-Mentoring is to continue empowering transition aged youth (young people who are exiting the foster care system and entering adulthood) to flourish through committed mentoring relationships and the development of essential life skills. This program will match young adults who've been in foster care (voluntary agreement, emancipated, aged out, in foster care when much younger, etc.) with a one-to-one, screened and trained volunteer mentor. This volunteer commits to meeting virtually with that young adult for a few hours per month for at least one year from matching date.

The e-mentees will be young adults who are:
  • 18-26 years old at time of application
  • Impacted by foster care and/or adoption experience
  • their own legal guardian at time of application
  • Interested in a mentor
This form is considered a volunteer application, one piece of the screening progress for Silver Lining Mentoring (SLM) e-Mentoring Mentor applicants. If you have any questions, please reach out to ementoring@silverliningmentoring.org to reach the e-Mentoring team.
Privacy Policy Statement:
To protect participant safety, evaluate effectiveness and make continuous program improvements, Silver Lining Mentoring collects and maintains demographic information, as well as documentation of survey responses and communication with its volunteer mentors. Information is entered into a secure database, Salesforce, that can only be accessed by staff at Silver Lining Mentoring. Silver Lining Mentoring will not share a mentor's personal information without explicit consent. As a mentor, you acknowledge and agree to how Silver Lining Mentoring will collect and utilize data in conjunction with the Salesforce database. 


Volunteer Interests, Contact and Demographic Information

Volunteer Interests


Contact Information

Please use your legal name in this field which we will use for your background check


Please use your legal name in this field which we will use for your background check



Please use an email address you will have ongoing access to throughout the program.







Volunteer Demographics









Please use this space for any languages in addition to English and your fluency level

Employment Information










Personal & Volunteer Experience



How did you find out about Silver Lining Mentoring?


Previous Volunteer Experience





Mentoring at Silver Lining Mentoring

Mentors agree to:

  • Agree to meet with their mentee for 4 hours/month for a period of at least 1 year, and maintain twice monthly communication with their mentee via phone, email and/or social media.
  • Undergo a rigorous screening and training process.
  • Engage in on-going communication with Silver Lining Mentoring programming staff, and agree to be in monthly communication (phone or email) with their Program Coordinator.
  • Receive invitations to virtual group events.
Schedule and Logistical Information



Availability
Please list below all possible availability you have to meet with your mentee:
NOTE: e-Mentoring mentors and mentees may have varied availability for virtual connections based on their work, school or other schedules. Matches are decided, in part, based on availability, capacity, current needs, mentee preferences, and SLM staff recommendations. The information below will help us share accurate information with potential mentees about when they can expect to have access to you in real-time as well as asynchronously.
Interests
What do you like to do in your free time?  (Give specifics, if possible.  This helps us to make appropriate mentor-mentee matches)















Self-Reflection and Assessment






To help us make the best match possible for both you and the youth, please answer the following questions as honestly as possible. Your answers to this survey will assist us to process your fit for our program. 

Please note the following meaning for each number:
  • 1  = Uncomfortable, I am not open to being matched with a youth who has this experience
  • 2 = Somewhat uncomfortable with this experience, I am inexperienced and/or anxious and am unsure about being matched with a youth who has this experience 
  • 3 = Somewhat comfortable and/or no experience, I will need more support from SLM
  • 4 = Comfortable and/or some experience, I might need some support from SLM
  • 5 = Very comfortable, I have no concerns being matched with a youth who has this experience 

How comfortable do you feel mentoring a youth who: 

(Please note: SLM does not match youth who are considered violent or dangerous.  We only match youth who are considered to be able to maintain safety.  However, youth in our program may have a history of defiant or delinquent behavior). 
1 2 3 4 5
+NOTE: We do not match youth who are considered violent or dangerous. We only match youth who are considered "safe." However, youth in our program may have a history of defiant or delinquent behavior (usually under certain circumstances, triggers, stressors, etc.). 

How important is it to you that your youth...
Very Important Somewhat Important Not Important
+NOTE: Please keep in mind that a youth's chronological age may not match their developmental age. 




Thank You!

We appreciate you taking the time today to fill out this application and take the next step to volunteer with Silver Lining Mentoring. Upon submission, someone from our team will be in touch within one week. We appreciate your patience and look forward to connecting with you.

Questions? Contact us at ementor@silverliningmentoring.org or (617) 224-1300

Contact Information