Mentoring
More than 11,000 children in the Tampa Bay area have at least one parent currently incarcerated.
Children's Home Society of Florida's Mentors Opening Doors Enriching Lives Program (MODEL) serves children ages 4 to 18 who have a parent incarcerated in a state or federal prison. Each qualified youth is matched with an adult volunteer mentor who helps guide the youth to reach his or her fullest potential. The Gulf Coast Division currently provides mentoring services in Hillsborough and Pinellas counties.
The MODEL Mentoring Program seeks to ameliorate the adverse consequences of parental incarceration for children, including providing youth with an additional positive role model, improving school attendance and creating lasting mentoring relationships.
Model mentors help alleviate the stigma attached to having an incarcerated parent. The program works to strengthen bonds between children and their incarcerated parents (when possible and appropriate) and to preserve families for at-risk children.
Learn more about being a mentor and start your application today.
Do you know a child or teen who may benefit from a mentoring relationship? Read about becoming a MODEL Youth and complete the youth referral form online.