The South Jersey Faith Based Mentoring Coalition follows a four-step plan designed to establish a solid mentoring program, initiate a mentoring relationship, and provide long-term support to both mentors and mentees.
The Mentoring Plan is outlined as follows:
Step 1
—Plan a mentoring programStep 2—Establish a solid mentoring program
Step 3
—Initiate the mentoring experienceStep 4
—Enhance the mentoring relationshipStep 1—Plan a Mentoring Program
The first step in creating a thriving Prisoner Aftercare mentoring program is to prepare and plan. It is helpful to obtain support and approval from your congregation or membership. The more your group supports your leadership efforts, the easier it will be to recruit potential mentors and gain the support you need to establish a mentoring program.
Step 1.1—Obtain Support and Approval for the Ministry of Mentoring
It takes a person of great spiritual and personal maturity to handle a ministry to ex-offenders. This ministry involves a great deal of time and effort. Some, but not all, of the ex-offenders you serve may have ulterior motives, and want nothing more than to take advantage of you. Some, but not all, will con you to make you think that they are serious about your ministry. Others, but not all, will appear to be doing well, and then suddenly relapse into criminal behavior. Despite these risks, when an ex-offender ministry is properly planned and implemented by mature, committed servants, there is the potential for successes.
The harvest waiting in the nation’s prisons requires laborers who are willing to go that extra mile to ensure that what inmates receive through the SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition does not evaporate upon their release from prison. Before beginning this ministry, make sure the leadership of your faith community or civic organization supports you in this new endeavor. Often God gives us vocations for ministry and shows us the vision, but others have not yet seen or experienced that vision. If the leadership of your group is supportive, then you will need to meet with the congregation or membership of the civic group. Schedule a meeting with your group to present the idea of starting an ex-offender ministry. During this meeting, create an agenda that outlines what you are going to present and decisions that you would like the congregation or membership of the civic group to make. A sample agenda could include:
1. Describe the sample congregation ex-offender mentoring program
2. Review the benefits of mentoring ex-offenders
3. Review roles and responsibilities of the mentoring team and individual mentors
4. Share ex-offender mentoring program success stories
5. Ask for sample congregation support to begin the mentoring program
Section Three:
Prisoner Aftercare Mentoring PlanIn STEP 1, you will learn how to:
1. Obtain the support and approval for your ministry
2. Obtain support from SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition
3. Begin attracting and recruiting mentors
Remember that it is the members of your group that will be interacting with the ex-offenders on a daily basis, so you will need to get their input and their support. It is important that there are enough people in the congregation or group who are enthusiastic about the idea and ready to support you.
Step 1.2—Appoint a Mentoring Team Coordinator
SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition is willing to support your group in your mentoring ministry. This start-up guide is only the beginning of the information and resources you can access. The SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition community liaison will work with your mentoring team to help plan, implement and support a Prisoner Aftercare Program. Your group should appoint a prisoner coordinator to work with SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition’s community liaison. This individual will:
1. Communicate with SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition’s community liaison with questions and concerns that might arise, provide updates, as well as send in six-month and one-year progress reports.
2. Organize and facilitate periodic meetings of the mentors
3. Encourage and support the needs of the ex-offender’s family
4. Be the point of contact for individual mentors, individual ex-offenders in the Prisoner Aftercare Program and SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition.
community liaison The coordinator should be willing to accept a leadership role in the Prisoner Aftercare mentoring program. Qualities such as dedication, commitment and enthusiasm will enable the coordinator to support both mentors and ex-offenders throughout the life of the program.
Step 1.3—Recruit Prospective Mentors
A ministry mentoring team should consist of a group of people who are spiritually stable and can give time and effort to the ministry. These are the people who will do the majority of the ministry, but also will be involved with the planning. Recruit mentors from your congregation or civic group who are ready and willing to provide ministry to others. Use the sample recruitment flyer in Appendix H to design your own advertisement to attract potential mentors. It is important to follow a few guidelines when recruiting potential mentors:
1. Match male ex-offenders with male mentors; match female ex-offenders with female mentors. Studies show that keeping the gender of the mentor the same as the ex-offender causes less anxiety and is more successful.
2. Match ex-offenders with mentors who are willing to commit the necessary time to establish a healthy relationship. Once you have a concrete group of potential mentors, it is time to create the foundation for a dedicated Prisoner Aftercare mentoring program.
Although this guide refers to mentoring groups, remember that one person can make a difference! A one-person mentoring team can be just as effective as mentoring groups.
In Step 2, you will learn how to:
1. Complete the necessary SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition application and mentor form
2. Be matched with and communicate with an inmate or ex-offender
3. Be a part of SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition Post Life Connections Training
4. Provide initial training for your mentoring team, including tips on who in your community can help you and how to create an effective adult learning environment
Step 2—Establish a Solid Mentoring Program
Mentoring initiatives require a good deal of hard work. Even though the idea of mentoring may seem basic and straightforward, providing initial training and up-front organization will benefit both mentors and mentees.
Step 2.1—Be Matched with an Inmate and sign a Mentor form
S
J Faith Based Mentoring Coalition’s community liaison will begin connecting mentors with inmates while they are still incarcerated or in community homes. Once a match is made between an inmate and a faith community or civic organization, the mentoring group should sign a mentor form (see Appendix A, “Prisoner Aftercare ServicesMentor/Mentor form”). The expectation is that the Mentor form will be signed before the release of the inmate and will last one to four years after he or she is released. The mentors (as a group or individually) and ex-offenders will meet at least two to three times per month. In the mentor form, mentors agree to seek solutions to problems and to be a spiritual presence for each other. In addition, the mentors agree to attend organized events, support groups and activities as scheduling permits, and to work toward achieving the personal short-term and long-term goals set forth by the ex-offender.
This form should be returned to SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition’s community liaison as soon as possible. An envelope is included in this packet and should be used to return the mentor form to the community liaison’s office. Once a match is made, SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition’s liaison will contact the prisoner. The prisoner will then send the mentor/organization a letter of introduction. It is very important that the mentoring team returns a letter to the prisoner. This contact may take on many forms (see Appendix B, “Guidelines on Contacting Inmates Before Release”). Working within the guidelines of the correctional facility, the mentoring team can send the program participant bulletins from worship services and newsletters, write letters, and meet face-to-face if they are in close proximity to the prison. All contact with prisoners before final release needs to follow the guidelines from the Bureau of Prisons. (see Appendix B, “Guidelines on Contacting Inmates Before Release” for more information)
Step 2.2—Exchange Letters of Introduction
The ex-offender will send each community of faith or group a letter containing personal history, ranging from reason for incarceration to his or her goals and plans for the future. In return, the mentoring group should send the inmate a letter describing its community and how much the group is looking forward to this new relationship. As noted previously, all contact with prisoners before final release needs to follow the guidelines in Appendix B. It is important to note that the initial contact with an ex-offender may take place months (in some cases years) before the mentoring sessions begin.
Step 2.3—Be a Part of SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition Community Liaison Training
SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition’s community liaison will distribute introductory material and initial training information for mentoring teams. In addition to this guide, SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition has developed a Web site, www.sjfbmc.org for mentoring support. This information will introduce the team to the Life Connections Program and ways to work effectively with ex-offenders.
Step 2.4—Provide Pre-Service Training
The relationship between a mentor and a mentee might seem to be an easy connection, but programs sometimes overlook the importance of training. It is essential that each mentoring team provide adequate training to its mentors. Studies show that mentors who receive six hours or more of pre-match training have the strongest and most satisfying relationships with their mentees. It is important, however, to examine the quality of the training over the quantity of the training. To develop mentoring team training plans, programs can ask themselves these questions:
• What information do mentors need to acquire?
• What skills do they need to acquire through training?
• How much training should be required?
• When and where should the trainings take place?
Before the mentor and mentee first meet? Ongoing throughout their mentoring experience?
It is the responsibility of each mentoring team to develop its own training. SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition suggests two types of training: Pre-Service Training, training that occurs before mentors and mentees meet and Ongoing Training—training that happens during the mentoring relationship. As you develop your own training materials, utilize the information in Appendix I, “How to Conduct Training for New Mentors.” The appendix suggests methodology for effectively training adults to become mentors of ex-offenders. In addition, Appendices I and J offer two types of training agendas that you can use (or modify) to conduct your own Pre-Service Training:
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The Participant Agenda provides an example of an outline you can give trainees so they can familiarize themselves with the format and pacing of the training.• The Facilitator Agenda parallels the structure of the Participant Agenda. It provides helpful tips and suggested questions for you to be an effective facilitator and trainer. Although SJ Faith Based Mentoring Coalition provides initial training materials, mentoring teams will need to facilitate a minimum amount of training so new mentors are comfortable with the task ahead of them. Training does not need to be involved or lengthy; however, it should equip mentors with the knowledge they need to succeed. In addition, remember that various organizations and people within your community are available to assist you with the new mentor training. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many members of your community have both the skills and the desire to help you in your endeavor! The following table highlights people and groups that can help you and what they can offer:
