Family Mentoring program of Family Promise of Greater Roanoke
Mentoring Program Policies and Procedures
Confidentiality
All information concerning mentee families—including that obtained from these families—is privileged communication. Sharing such information with any outside source without the specific written permission of that family is both inappropriate and unacceptable. Outside sources include the mentee’s extended family members and all agencies and organizations—both those with which the family may already be working and those to which the mentor may wish to refer the family. Written permission to share information may be obtained through the Release of Information form, which Family Promise can provide.
It is natural to want to discuss your volunteer experiences with your family and friends, but though you may feel certain that your conversation is strictly confidential, you should omit names and any other information that might possibly identify the mentee family. Mentee families’ rights to privacy and confidentiality must be preserved.
If a mentor believes that a mentee is in imminent danger of hurting himself or herself or others, the mentor should contact police or emergency personnel immediately. Mentors should then notify the Housing Stability Manager.
Relationships
In a successful mentoring situation, mentors and their mentees will develop a trusting relationship. However, it is absolutely prohibited for mentors to have a romantic or sexual relationship with a mentee or with any member of a mentee’s family.
Drugs and Alcohol Abuse
Mentors are prohibited from using alcohol or illegal substances with mentees or with a mentee’s family members. If you suspect illegal use or abuse of drugs or alcohol, you should report this to the Housing Stability Manager.
Guidelines for Working with Children
To protect themselves from the possibility of false allegations and potential liability issues, mentors are not to spend unsupervised time with a mentee's children.
In cases of suspected child abuse in which the child is not in imminent danger, mentors should contact the Housing Stability Manager. If a child is in imminent danger, mentors should immediately contact the police and/or the appropriate child welfare agency. Following this notification, they should contact the Housing Stability Manager.
Financial Assistance
Despite the temptation to help mentee families with financial assistance, mentors should not provide costly gifts, cash, loans or any financial assistance to mentee families. The goals of the program are self-sufficiency for mentees and their families. However, it is acceptable to give small gifts for significant occasions and holidays.
Sharing Values and Beliefs
It is important that both mentors and mentees respect their different values, beliefs, and traditions. Mentors may not imply in any way that mentees or mentee families are required to attend worship services because of their participation in the Family Mentoring Program. Further, mentors must not attempt to persuade mentees to accept a specific religious belief. However, if mentees ask mentors about their faith, mentors can share their beliefs.
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Communication with Housing Stability Manager
Mentors should maintain regular contact with the Housing Stability Manager. Initially, mentors should submit a monthly contact log to the Housing Stability Manager. Mentors should discuss problems with the match, uncertainties or concerns, and successes with the Housing Stability Manager. Mentors should immediately inform the Housing Stability Manager if emergency situations arise.
Liability
The mentor understands that he or she is acting within their own capacity and using their own judgment. The mentor agrees to hold Family Promise of Greater Roanoke (and its subsidiaries and assigns) harmless for any injuries to self or damage to property that might occur during the performance of these volunteer mentorship duties. Further, that mentor admits they have freely agreed to serve in this capacity and were not required to perform the duties outlined herein.