Bright and early in the morning on a mid-April Friday, six of Boca Helping Hands’ job mentoring volunteers and three staff members of BHH’s Job Training Program gathered for an annual breakfast meeting to discuss the vital work they do for the organization. A Job Mentor at BHH plays a key role in helping students who are working through the various education programs offered at BHH. Their tasks vary from student-to-student, some serving as a key motivator helping keep a student on track, while other students may only reach out for a monthly check-in.
Across the board, the mentors agreed on the most challenging part of their work: communication. Often, students are dealing with difficulties in addition to the demands of their classes, such as financial struggles, food insecurity, or navigating a difficult home life. “All you can do is offer services,” said Gary Hildebrand, a longtime job mentor and board member at BHH. Many mentors have been volunteering their services for more than eight years, and most have or had long and successful careers. The goal of the mentors is to help students graduate from their program, find an apprenticeship if applicable, and get hired in a better-paying, more fulfilling position. Many of BHH’s students need someone to follow-up, check in, or simply believe in them in order to get through the challenges of staying on top of classes and personal life. “I believe “belief” is the first step to achievement,” said Trina Chin Cheong, Director of Career Development and Financial Assistance at BHH. “Mentorship is one of the most important components of supporting our students and client’s journey to success.”
Helping students navigate their courses is only part of the work of a job mentor. Mentoring is more of a long-term situation; several mentors have relationships with students going on for years, and with program lengths ranging from six weeks to four years, consistency is key for mentors. “We want to get students ready for jobs, and to set them up for success,” said Lynne Ogren, a job readiness instructor who is part of leading the remote Phase One classes all of BHH’s students are required to take. Lynne’s program focuses on giving students social-emotional intelligence tools and techniques to deal with difficulties associated with school, work, and life in general.
Mentors never quite know what they are getting into with each student they work with, or what kind of support each person will need. Students have reported that even knowing there is someone in their corner is enough to keep them motivated and accountable. It’s a unique volunteer opportunity as well, as mentoring is generally done over Zoom, with several mentors working remotely from up North as far as Canada.
Despite its challenges, watching students succeed and work through difficulties to finish their programs and move into their new career is extremely rewarding, and is indicative of how essential the work the Job Mentors do can be. BHH is lucky to have a growing team of these hardworking individuals who are committed to supporting our mission of helping members of our community improve their quality of life through job training, one Zoom meeting at a time.