Thank you for your interest in mentoring with Spark the Journey. 


Our mentors work with young adults from low-income communities in DC to develop the skills and experiences they need to achieve college and/or career success.

 

Please complete this application if you’re interested in mentoring with Spark the Journey. Volunteers who meet the mentoring requirements will be invited for a virtual interview with one of our staff members and will be asked to complete the routine volunteer clearance background check. For the safety and security of our students, background checks must be renewed every two years.

 

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact our Recruitment & Admissions Team at mentor@sparkthejourney.org.



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Geographical Information
Spark the Journey requires our High School and NOVA-Woodbridge mentors to reside in the D.C. Metropolitan area and our Year Up mentors to reside within the United States. 








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Year Up United Mentor Requirements
Year Up United mentors are expected to:  
  1. Commit to building a mentoring relationship for 5 months. Spark the Journey will support your relationship with your mentee, and will devote its own resources to helping you build that relationship. 
  2. Meet with their mentees virtually or in-person at your own discretion 2 times each month. This can be on your own schedule.
  3. Build a meaningful relationship with your mentee through weekly communication by phone, Zoom, Facetime, etc.)
  4. Participate in monthly mentor workshops where you will also have an opportunity for individualized support from a Spark the Journey team member. Workshops are conducted virtually and are offered at various times during and after standard office hours.


Mentor Requirements 
High School mentors are expected to: 

  1. Commit to building a mentoring relationship for at least one year. Spark the Journey will support your relationship with your mentee and be there to help you build that relationship. 
  2. Commit to a monthly in-person meeting with your mentee. This can be on your own schedule or during Spark the Journey events, whichever works best for you and your mentee.
  3. Speak with your mentee by phone, Skype, or FaceTime at least once a week to check in and to maintain their relationships.
  4. Participate in monthly mentor workshops where you will also have an opportunity for individualized support from a Spark the Journey team member. Workshops are conducted virtually and are offered at various times after standard office hours. 

Year Up United mentors are expected to:  
  1. Commit to building a mentoring relationship for 5 months. Spark the Journey will support your relationship with your mentee, and will devote its own resources to helping you build that relationship. 
  2. Meet with their mentees virtually or in-person at your own discretion 2 times each month. This can be on your own schedule.
  3. Build a meaningful relationship with your mentee through weekly communication by phone, Zoom, Facetime, etc.)
  4. Participate in monthly mentor workshops where you will also have an opportunity for individualized support from a Spark the Journey team member. Workshops are conducted virtually and are offered at various times during and after standard office hours.
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) mentors are expected to: 
  1. Commit to at least a 5-month mentoring relationship. Spark the Journey will support you throughout the experience and provide guidance to help you build a meaningful relationship with your mentee.
  2. Participate in monthly mentor workshops. These virtual workshops provide training, community, and an opportunity to receive individualized support from a Spark the Journey team member. Workshops are offered at various times during and after standard office hours.
  3. Connect with your mentee weekly. Mentors and mentees are expected to build their relationship through consistent weekly communication by phone, Zoom, FaceTime, or other virtual platforms.
  4. Have opportunities to meet in person, either individually if schedules and geography allow or by attending monthly NOVA/Spark gatherings held on the fourth Wednesday of each month. Spark will host a special event in June, which mentor-mentee pairs are highly encouraged to attend.








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Personal and Matching Information

1 - Mostly Introverted 2 - Both 3 - Mostly Extroverted

Please select up to 5 activities you would like to do with your mentee:








References
Please provide two references, one professional reference and either a personal reference or a previous volunteer experience reference.
Professional Reference




Other Reference





Emergency Contact Information
Please provide emergency contact information below.




We will use this information to plan for our events.

Submit your application
Please click Submit below to send your application to our team. Volunteers who meet the mentoring requirements will be invited to a virtual interview with Spark the Journey staff. 

If you have any questions or concerns please feel free to contact our Recruitment & Admissions Team at mentor@sparkthejourney.org.

Thank you for your time and interest in our program!