Building Futures Mentoring Program

Youth today experience overwhelming challenges, and it is imperative that they have access to additional support when it is not available in their families or immediate environment.

With 1 hour a week you can make a difference in the life of a young person.

YMCA Building Futures Mentoring is a free program of the Downtown Oakland YMCA of the East Bay. We serve at-risk youth ages 6-18 in Oakland and its surrounding areas in Alameda county as well as Contra Cost county. Mentors meet with their mentees once each week for an average of 1-3 hours over a 1-year period. A unique feature that sets us apart from other mentoring programs is that volunteers receive 15 hours of interactive training on roles and responsibilities of being a mentor, communication skills, issues young people face, recognizing and reporting child abuse and danger, strengths based approaches, understanding family dynamics & termination. Additionally our mentors receive ongoing supervision and support and use of the YMCA Downtown Oakland facility whenever they are with the mentee.

Youth are referred from families, schools, mental health organizations, social services agencies, churches, after-school programs and from YMCA programs. Mentors and youth are connected after a screening process which takes into account a number of variables from mentor preferences including age of youth, gender, similar interests, what skills and life experiences the adult has to offer compared to that which the young person needs, personality and geographic location where the mentor is able to travel. Although mentoring is primarily a one to one relationship, there will be some opportunities to do group activities with other volunteer mentors and youth.

Regarding the process to become a mentor, potential volunteers: 

1) complete a mentor application,
2) come in for an interview to help us learn about strengths, interests and life experiences,
3) participate in a mentor training and screening process,
4) the adventure begins once we match you with a young person.

Consider joining one of the upcoming volunteer training sessions and start making change !

CALL TODAY (510.318.7621) to learn more about the program, have a tour of the facility and be registered for an upcoming volunteer training session.

For more information, please send email.

Class Downloads:
Mentor Application
Building Futures Brochure
Frequently Asked Questions
Mentee Application and Referral Form
Building Futures Mentee Brochure