Mentor Match Program (MM)

It is the intent of MM to inspire a young person to develop his or her talents and abilities by means of an adult role model who has encountered similar frustrations and experienced success. The Mentor Match program offers three types of mentoring options to better accommodate busy schedules and geographic distance:

1. Face-to-Face Mentor Match: For youth aged 6-24, mentors and mentees agree to a 1 year commitment and see each other once per month, and phone/contact once per week.
2. One-to-One Partners Online Mentor Match: For youth aged 14-24, mentors and mentees agree to a 1 year commitment and email or chat via Partners Online 1-2 times per week and see eachother 3-4 times per year.
3. Partners Online Group Mentoring: Youth and mentors can elect to participate in our group mentoring program, where they communicate with other youth and mentors via discussion forums, mail, talk and group chats, 1 hour per week whether they are matched or not. For more information read the Partners Online program description.

Youth who wish to be matched with a mentor are interviewed by a PYD staff person to better understand their interests and needs, in order to find the best match. Adult mentors undergo a thorough screening process that includes an interview, criminal history and reference check. Participants are matched according to a variety of factors, including similar disability, common interests, career aspirations, hobbies and geographical proximity. In addition to one-to-one contact, mentors attend mandatory group training sessions and individuals are also encouraged to participate in fun group outings sponsored by PYD once every three months.

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Learn more by reading the Mentee and Mentor Guides