MENTOR PARENT/PARENT CONNECTIONS PROGRAM
For Parents of Children with Disabilities – who need support OR would like to give support !
What is the SPIN Mentor Program? Our program matches parents who are dealing with their child’s disability, with “veteran” parents, or mentors, who have been through a similar experience. The mentor parents offer emotional support and information to others on a volunteer basis.
What are the benefits of participating in the program? The parent who is in need of support, the mentoree, finds a special kind of help that is different than the help that family, friends, and professionals offer. They have a mentor who has been down a similar path and understands the disability, the support systems, and the kinds of feelings and challenges parents of children with special needs face. This helps the mentoree feel less isolated and more accepting of their situation. The mentor parent also benefits by feeling rewarded by helping another parent and by gaining more self-understanding and confidence as they “travel” along with the mentoree.
What does a mentor parent do? A mentor parent provides the mentoree the opportunity to talk to someone who has gone through similar experiences. The mentors share information and resources, give the mentorees emotional support as they deal with their challenges, and help the mentoree parent work toward understanding what is needed to find solutions for their family’s challenges. The mentor to mentoree contact may happen with just one phone conversation or periodic conversations. Parents can meet in person and can develop a special friendship over time.
Who can be a mentor parent? Anyone who has had the experience of having a child with a disability and who has the ability and time to help others is welcome to volunteer to be a mentor. A mentor should be able to: be a good listener, offer emotional support, accept the expression of feelings, respect individual differences, have knowledge of resources, have their own support system stabilized, and be willing to talk about their own experience. They also agree to keep all information confidential.
How do I become a mentor parent? To become a mentor parent please send an email to byork.spinsc@gmail.com with a brief description about you and your child(ren) with the disability. When a parent with a situation similar to yours requests a mentor, we will call you to see if you are available. You will then call the new mentoree parent within 1-3 days. The two of you will decide together how much contact will work for you both.
How do I get paired with a mentor? Anyone who is parenting a child with a special need, and who would like to be matched with a mentor, please byork.spinsc@gmail.com with a brief description about you and your child(ren). If available, we will then match you with a mentor who has had a similar experience. We will call you to let you know of the match and the mentor will then contact you!