Surrey Community Services

A client, as a single parent for the first time, wanted to be able to take care of her children. One of her goals was to pursue a better education. With the support and encouragement from her Mentor she is presently completing medical office training and has reported that she is achieving 90% in her course of study.

Another family was struggling with ongoing conflict. The Mentor supported the family in learning positive ways of interacting. The Mentor purchased second-hand board games and showed the mom how to play board games with her child. The Mentor encouraged a less adversarial kind of relationship between the mother and child. At the completion of the mentoring relationship the family was enjoying doing artwork together as well as playing music. The family performed musical pieces for the Mentor during the last few visits. The Mentor helped the family discover common interests and the importance of quality time together.

One Mentor worked with a family new to Canada. They needed to attend appointments and in order to do so they needed to learn how to use the transit system. The Mentor rode the transit with the family until they felt comfortable navigating it on their own. The Mentor assisted with getting the children and the mom enrolled in school. The Mentor worked on safety strategies with this family who had no idea how to use the apartment intercom or the peephole in the apartment door. She helped the family learn how to use crosswalks, the location of local parks, as well as how to access their local library and other resources available to them in their community.

Clients have been encouraged and supported by Mentors to upgrade their computer skills. Mentors have assisted with accessing local no-cost classes and have helped them complete application forms for improved housing and long-term disability benefits.

Mentors have been very helpful in their support around household management. This has included budgeting funds, learning ways to make inexpensive healthy snacks and meals as well as accessing free clothing exchange events.

Many of our clients attended a free budgeting workshop sponsored by the Family Mentoring Program and found the information gleaned from it very helpful. One person said, “So every penny really does count!”

One of our clients' families shared a need to improve her home surroundings as she was feeling very depressed about the appearance of her home but did not have the financial means to make any changes. During the debriefing session with the Family Mentoring Supervisor, the Mentor was provided with a resource to access free paint. The client was ecstatic with the information and with her ability to improve her home décor.

Mentors have helped families gain more knowledge about community resources and have assisted them in accessing those resources. These have included resources on parenting groups and various courses in the community. Mentors offer assistance in building social supports and in encouraging physical activity.




	FAMILY MENTORING PROGRAM WOULD YOU ENJOY OFFERING THE CARE AND GUIDANCE THAT YOU WERE GIVEN, OR WISH YOU HAD BEEN GIVEN, WHILE RAISING YOUR FAMILY? AT SURREY COMMUNITY SERVICES WE BELIEVE IN HELPING PEOPLE TO HELP THEMSELVES! “Improve a child’s family life and all other aspects would improve as well.” Behave So Your Children Will Behave Too! by Sal Severe PhD. “What happens to our babies and small children has a lasting effect for generations and affects everyone’s future.” Roots of Empathy by Mary Gordon FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS: 1. What is a Family Mentor? A Family Mentor is an individual or couple with life experience who wants to volunteer as a positive role model to a parent or family. Family Mentors are interested in helping others. 2. What is the Family Mentoring Program? The Family Mentoring program is a service, which aims to provide parents with a positive role model for support, assistance, advocacy and guidance. The Family Mentoring Program provides one-to-one mentoring support to parents in their home and community. 3. What are some of the needs the Family Mentor may deal with? Family Mentors may assist families with problem-solving skills, goal setting, parenting issues, socialization or accessing community resources. Family Mentors do not replace professionals in the field but instead offer an additional resource for individuals who require support. 4. Does mentoring make a difference? Here is what some of our clients have said about the program: "Both myself and son were very happy with the outcome. We were sorry when it came to an end." "My mentor was very helpful in so many areas. She helped me understand a little more about my older son's ADHD and gave me tools to deal with his outbursts better. She was instrumental in raising my self-esteem. I will miss her encouragement, understanding and friendship." "My mentor was more than a mentor, more than a friend; she was my family." 5. Who receives the mentoring? Families who live in Surrey wanting to receive mentoring can be referred through programs funded by the Ministry of Children and Family Development and child and family service providers in Surrey. A family service provider may be a child’s school counsellor, a family or community counsellor, or a social worker. If you would like more information about the referral process contact Surrey Community Services at 604-584-5811 and ask for the Family Mentoring Program. Participation in the Family Mentoring program is strictly voluntary. 6. What kind of training and support do Mentors receive? Family Mentors complete a thorough screening process and training program. Some of the topics covered in the training are: Family Dynamics, Boundaries, Community Resources, Cultural Competence, Emergency Response Procedures, Values, Ethics, Self-Awareness, Communication, Relationship Building and Goal Setting. Family Mentors will receive a guide of community resources to help assist in the process of “helping people help themselves.” Volunteer Family Mentors receive ongoing supervision, feedback, and support. The program aims to provide volunteers with periodic workshops and lectures by professionals. Volunteer Mentors are caring, listening, supportive people. They are flexible in their approach to various needs; they seek guidance and direction from staff when needed; they are reliable and committed to families. If you would like to join our team of volunteers or if you would like more information about the Family Mentoring Program please contact Mary Ydenberg at 604-584-5811. SUMMARY OF THE FAMILY MENTORING PROGRAM: The following is a brief look at some of the successes families have achieved while being supported and encouraged by a Mentor in the Family Mentoring Program. A client, as a single parent for the first time, wanted to be able to take care of her children. One of her goals was to pursue a better education. With the support and encouragement from her Mentor she is presently completing medical office training and has reported that she is achieving 90% in her course of study. Another family was struggling with ongoing conflict. The Mentor supported the family in learning positive ways of interacting. The Mentor purchased second-hand board games and showed the mom how to play board games with her child. The Mentor encouraged a less adversarial kind of relationship between the mother and child. At the completion of the mentoring relationship the family was enjoying doing artwork together as well as playing music. The family performed musical pieces for the Mentor during the last few visits. The Mentor helped the family discover common interests and the importance of quality time together. One Mentor worked with a family new to Canada. They needed to attend appointments and in order to do so they needed to learn how to use the transit system. The Mentor rode the transit with the family until they felt comfortable navigating it on their own. The Mentor assisted with getting the children and the mom enrolled in school. The Mentor worked on safety strategies with this family who had no idea how to use the apartment intercom or the peephole in the apartment door. She helped the family learn how to use crosswalks, the location of local parks, as well as how to access their local library and other resources available to them in their community. Clients have been encouraged and supported by Mentors to upgrade their computer skills. Mentors have assisted with accessing local no-cost classes and have helped them complete application forms for improved housing and long-term disability benefits. Mentors have been very helpful in their support around household management. This has included budgeting funds, learning ways to make inexpensive healthy snacks and meals as well as accessing free clothing exchange events. Many of our clients attended a free budgeting workshop sponsored by the Family Mentoring Program and found the information gleaned from it very helpful. One person said, “So every penny really does count!” One of our clients' families shared a need to improve her home surroundings as she was feeling very depressed about the appearance of her home but did not have the financial means to make any changes. During the debriefing session with the Family Mentoring Supervisor, the Mentor was provided with a resource to access free paint. The client was ecstatic with the information and with her ability to improve her home décor. Mentors have helped families gain more knowledge about community resources and have assisted them in accessing those resources. These have included resources on parenting groups and various courses in the community. Mentors offer assistance in building social supports and in encouraging physical activity. Research suggests, according to the national mentoring program, that specialized training and extensive experience are less important than the ability to form a close, helping relationship. It is the quality of the relationship that is forged and the degree to which they inspire hope that is at the heart of change. A quote by one of our clients sums up the Family Mentoring Program: “My mentor was more than a mentor, more than a friend, she was my family.” “It is one of the beautiful compensations of this life that no one can sincerely try to help another without helping himself”. Charles Dudley Warner For more information about the Family Mentoring Program call: Surrey Community Services 604-584-5811 Mary Ydenberg, Family Mentoring Supervisor Program funded by the Ministry of Children and Family Development Check out our other services Family Mentoring Information and Referral Volunteer Center

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FAMILY MENTORING PROGRAM