Little Steps

1. Parent or guardian must contact agency and set up an appointment for an orientation for themselves and the child.
   
2. The parent and child attend an orientation meeting and abuse prevention training.
   
3. The parent must complete an application and sign the Terms & Conditions page.
   
4. A case manager will come to the home to interview the parent and child individually.
   
5. If child is appropriate for the program and matchable, the child is placed on the waiting list.
   
6. If the child is inappropriate for the program of unmatchable, the agency will give a referral.

	Child Requirements & Commitments

1. Child is between the ages of 6 & 18.
   
2. Child lives in a single-parent family.
   
3. Child has the willingness and ability to establish and maintain a mentoring relationship.
   
4. Child will make a commitment to help the mentoring relationship be successful.

	Parent Requirements & Commitments

1. Parent has the willingness and ability to support a mentoring relationship.
   
2. When child is matched, parent will maintain monthly contact with Case Manager.
   
3. Parent will make a 1-year commitment to the match.
   
4. Parent will complete a Program Evaluation when match is six months old and yearly.

	The Matching Process

1. Fill out the online little application, or call our office to have them mailed or faxed to you.
   
2. There is no guarantee your child will be matched.  We cannot predict how soon we can match a child because we are a volunteer-driven agency; if we do not have a volunteer who wants a certain area, age, behavior problem, etc, it is more difficult for us to match the child.
   
3. We try to make same-gender matches, but so many boys are on the waiting list that we match boys ages 6-8 with female mentors.  If a parent of a child 6-8 years old wants a male mentor, the child will most likely wait until age 8 before being matched.
   
4. We do not match on a first-come first-served basis.  We match according to a child's compatibility with a mentor.  Compatibility includes parent and child preferences for a mentor, as well as mentor preferences such as driving distance and similar hobbies.
   
5. Case manager will contact the parent when we have a potential match to discuss the mentor.  If you and your child accept the mentor, an official match meeting is scheduled at your home with the mentor and case manager to discuss expectations and goals.