Professional Mentor Friend Tacoma

Job description

Friends of the Children – Tacoma is a vibrant, active chapter of a 30-year-old national professional mentoring organization. Our model is proven to break the cycle of generational poverty for children who face the most barriers, by providing paid professional mentors to work with youth for 12+ years, from kindergarten through high school graduation

nFriends - Tacoma is looking for passionate, committed, professional mentors (who we call Friends) to support our mission. We impact generational change by empowering youth who are facing the greatest obstacles, through relationships with trained full-time professional mentors—12+ years—no matter what. Eligible candidates will be fierce advocates for children that come into contact with the foster care system, and will be equally effective in working with parents and caregivers to achieve their hopes and dreams.

nAre you looking to make a difference in the lives of children who need it most?

nWe will hire an extraordinary individual who has knowledge of Tacoma and Pierce County and is looking to develop intensive, long-term, trusting relationships with children in our innovative program. A Friend will work with eight (8) children and will:

nnSet positive expectations

nNurture and promote the child’s individual strengths, talents, and abilities

nHelp assure physical and emotional well-being

nTeach life and academic skills

nProvide enrichment activities

nModel responsible behavior

nSimultaneously manage multiple priorities to ensure goals are met in a timely manner

n nFriends spend approximately four (4) hours per week with each child and will report directly to the Program Director.

nThe ideal candidate will have:

nnA bachelor's degree or associate degree* (*with two-plus years of professional experience)

nSignificant experience working with youth who face obstacles

nDemonstrated knowledge and understanding of the child welfare system

nCultural competency and experience with trauma-informed care

nExperience with utilizing social and emotional learning curricula

nSuperior scheduling and time management skills

nData entry and database management skills

n nWhat you'll experience:

nnYou’ll start on the ground floor of a small nonprofit, then grow with us.

nYou’ll be part of a dynamic and supportive national network, with a proven, evidence-based mentoring model.

nYou’ll have new challenges daily. We commit to supporting you in every way, helping you serve our kids, and keeping your batteries charged.

nYou’ll be part of a friendly and collaborative workplace, where work-life balance is respected.

nMost of all, you’ll play a critical role in helping Tacoma’s children facing great barriers change the trajectories of their lives!

n nWork hours are flexible and will vary depending on the needs of the youth. Friends must provide their own child-safe vehicle and insurance; we reimburse for mileage.

nIf you are this amazing person, here’s what we have to offer:

nPosition Details

nSalary: $50K

nComprehensive Benefits Package including healthcare, dental, paid vacation, sick leave, and 401(k)

nIntrigued? Want to know more? To learn more about the position’s responsibilities and qualifications, see below:

nThe following statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed by individuals assigned to this position. They are not intended as a comprehensive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified.

nCore Job Accountabilities:

nnDevelop and sustain a long term, caring, trusting, and accepting relationship with each child

nSpend time with children, one-on-one and in the classroom

nDevelop positive relationships with families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life

nSet realistic expectations and goals based on each child’s strengths, talents, abilities, and needs

nTeach life skills and healthy habits to contribute both to basic development and learning, and to contribute to building positive self-esteem

nDevelop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child to help develop positive self-esteem and experience growing confidence

nProvide enrichment resources and activities which include opportunities for cultural awareness, diversity, and community service

nContribute to children acquiring behavioral management skills, tolerance, respect for others, courtesies, and compassion

nEstablish and maintain positive relationships with teachers, administrators, and others involved in each child’s life

nWork closely and assess parent’s needs and link families and children to community resources as appropriate

nReinforce basic academic skills and learning

nModel and promote good problem solving and decision-making skills to children and families

nParticipate in the programming and resources available through the organization, effectively utilizing program resources to meet the needs of each child and their families;

nMaintain spending within budgetary guidelines

nComplete, distribute and collect time summaries, activity journals, short term plans, expense reports, and evaluation materials accurately and in a timely manner

nAttend and actively participate in team meetings, staff functions, and training

nProvide information and support to the development team and related activities as needed

nPartner with parents/caregivers to provide concrete and social-emotional supports for the family

nFulfill other responsibilities as required

n nEssential Skills and Abilities:

nnAbility to relate to children and to develop and sustain trusting, supportive relationships with them

nStrong interpersonal skills

nDemonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings to help them learn and grow

nAbility to cultivate trusting relationships with children, parents, teachers, and community members

nAbility to maintain confidentiality and communicate appropriately within the workplace

nAbility to use creativity and initiative in planning activities to continually develop children

nAbility to work independently in diverse environments with limited supervision

nAbility to work as a team player

nAbility to manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively exercising appropriate discretion and judgment

nAbility to set goals and develop plans to meet those goals to ensure the development of each child

nAbility to complete administrative tasks accurately and on time

nAbility to handle high mobility and driving demands safely and with good judgment

nStrong written and verbal communication skills; organizational and time management skills

nBasic computer and keyboarding skills, proficiency with e-mail systems, familiarity with MS Outlook and Teams (or other database applications)

nAbility to exercise good judgment independently, in various situations and environments, and under varying levels of stress

n nAdditional Job Requirements:

nnMaintain current driver’s license, good driving record, and vehicle insurance

nMaintain First Aid/CPR certification

nTransport children in personal vehicle as required for mentoring activities

nBilingual Spanish preferred

n nWorking Hours:

nThis is a full-time, 40 hour per week, non-exempt position. Due to the nature of a Friend’s role, the work hours are somewhat non-traditional and include late afternoon and evening work. We recognize that each Friend’s daily work schedule will vary due to the uniqueness of the role and the needs of the individual children being served. Each Friend is expected to exercise appropriate discretion in this regard. The Program requires that you see each of your assigned children both in and outside of school, for an average of four hours each week (although how you accomplish that is at your discretion within established Program guidelines).

nEducation and Experience Required:

nBachelor’s degree preferred. Associates degree required, plus two to three years of professional experience working with children. Mentoring experience with children and understanding of the child welfare system preferred.

nLocation: Tacoma, Washington

nFriends of the Children is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices, and to working toward racial equity. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants regardless of race, color, religious creed, national origin, ancestry, age, sex, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, marital status, familial status, disability, or genetic information, in compliance with applicable federal, state and local law. Friends of the Children hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled.

nFriends of the Children is growing rapidly as communities across the country are experiencing the power of how “One” changes a child's story: One Friend. One Child. 12 ½ years. No matter what. #ThePowerOfOne

nTo learn more about this job and Friends of the Children - Tacoma, please visit our website at

Worksite address

tacoma, WA, 98417, US

Who can apply

Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.