Passages Mentoring Program

 Mentoring is a brain to pick, an ear to listen, and a push in the right direction

John H. Crosby

Passages’ Mentoring Program serves the needs of youth affected by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services’ Foster Care System. Over 350,000 children nationwide are in foster care. Of those numbers, 5% reside right here in Illinois. Children who were living with their parent(s) prior to removal may suffer academically and exhibit emotional trauma.

Program Services/Description

Passages Mentoring Program is an effort to engage and focus the entire community on serving this target group and providing services to their families through partnerships and collaborations that facilitate the recruitment of mentors and eligible children and garner financial and programmatic support based on the concept that “it takes a village to raise a child”.

Program Goals/Objectives

The goal of Passages Mentoring Program is to pair DCFS foster care children, ages 6-18, in one-on-one relationships with carefully screened positive adult role models who are interested in enriching their lives and assisting them to develop their full potential. Mentors receive orientation, training, ongoing match support and one agency sponsored activity per month to cultural, sports and other events for their mentee. Children are involved in a nurturing relationship with the benefits of increased confidence and self-esteem, better grades in school, and exposure to cultural and fun experiences.

Mentoring comes with many benefits, such as:

For more information, contact our office @ 312-225-3800 ext. 19 or 24.