Mentoring opportunities in the GREATER MADISON Area

Kinship, Inc. is a private, nonprofit organization that believes in and promotes the concept of youth mentoring. The National Kinship office exists to serve as a resource for established and emerging local Kinship affiliates. There are currently two Kinship Affiliates operating in the Madison Region, Kinship Mentoring of Columbia County and Kinship of Richland County, Inc. 

• AGE RANGE: Enter at 5-14 years old and stay until 18 or High School graduation 
• TIME COMMITMENT: 1 hour per week minimum for 1 year.

Since 1966, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County has operated under the belief that inherent in every child is the ability to succeed and thrive in life. Big Brothers Big Sisters makes meaningful, monitored matches between adult volunteers (“Bigs”) and children (“Littles”), ages 6 through 18, in our Dane County community. They develop positive relationships that have a direct and lasting effect on the lives of young people. 

• AGE RANGE: 6-18 years old
• TIME COMMITMENT: 2-3 hours per outing, 3-4 times per month for 2 years.

At Boys & Girls Club of Dane County, it is their goal to lead the way in youth development programs by working together with local businesses, foundations, and community programs to produce positive outcomes for nearly 7,500 young people and their families. Affiliated with Boys & Girls Club of America, their Club is led locally by a dedicated team of professionals specializing in youth development, business management, and community outreach.

This project is a collaboration between Trained To Grow, Inc. and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane County. This program will help children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change lives for the better, forever. They have a successful evidence-based mentoring program that supports academic achievement, avoidance of risky behaviors, and positive relationships with peers and family. 

This program is hosted by Charles Hamilton Houston Institute, Inc. Dear Diary strives to recruit young girls of color who are navigating challenges in life such as school truancy, juvenile delinquency, and social/emotional trauma for group and/or individual mentoring from mentors who are women of color that reside in Dane County.

This program is a collaboration between JustDane and Operation Fresh Start, Inc. This program helps youth obtain their high school diploma, WI Driver's License and gain self-efficacy skills through group mentoring. Mentors will work with youth in high school and help assist with youth leaving high school to assist with re-orienting into the community through group mentoring.

• AGE RANGE: 17-21 years old
• TIME COMMITMENT: 1.5 hours per week for at least 1 year.

The mission of the First Tee – South Central Wisconsin is to impact the lives of young people and their families by providing educational programs for youth that build character, instill life-enhancing values and promote healthy choices through the game of golf.

• AGE RANGE: 7-10 years old
• TIME COMMITMENT: 1-10 hours per week (flexible)

Inspire helps schools, business groups, companies and community-based organizations easily connect to build the future workforce in Columbia, Dane, Dodge, Green, Iowa, Jefferson and Sauk Counties.  There are opportunities for an individual to be a "Career Coach" to answer questions or opportunities for a business to be involved to offer career exploration/job shadowing/internships. 

• AGE RANGE:  6th - 12th Grade
• TIME COMMITMENT: 1-12 hours/month - flexible

After noticing gaps in mentoring and support for students, Intentional Mentoring participated in 10 years of research to identify aspects of a program that would better fill the community needs and support local organizations.  The outcome of this research outlined what is now Intentional Mentoring Inc.

• AGE RANGE: grades 6-8
• TIME COMMITMENT: 1+ hour weekly (in-person) with another couple of check-ins per week. 

Just Connections is comprised of three JustDane programs: Mentoring Connections, Family Connections, and Reading Connections. Mentoring Connections is designed to invest in the future of youth in Dane County who are affected by parental incarceration by matching them with a caring, adult mentor. Family Connections provides opportunities to maintain and strengthen relationships within families affected by incarceration through organizing regular monthly visits between imprisoned mothers and their children. Reading Connections offers parents whose children reside too far away for regular visits an opportunity to bond with their child and encourage their reading.

• AGE RANGE: 5-17 years old
• TIME COMMITMENT: 1-1.5 hours weekly (flexible) for at least a year. 

Maydm provides girls and youth of color in grades 6-12 with skill-based training for the technology sector. Maydm’s holistic approach prepares students from traditionally underrepresented populations to engage in and revolutionize the tech industries.

• AGE RANGE: grades 6-12
• TIME COMMITMENT: 1 session per month.

Mentoring Positives Inc. (MP) is an innovative, referral-based mentoring program that works directly with kids and families throughout Dane County and its surrounding areas. Founded in 2004 by Will and Becky Green, Mentoring Positives offers a range of positive programs for elementary, middle, and high school-aged youth. 

• AGE RANGE: The average mentee is around 15 years old.
• TIME COMMITMENT: Weekly-Biweekly check-ins.