Mentor Washington

For two decades, MENTOR Washington has been at the forefront of fostering meaningful connections that change lives. Our commitment has supported a beautifully diverse community of youth across Washington State, guiding them through challenges and opportunities alike.

Youth We Impact:

• 51% of youth in state mentoring programs are involved with the juvenile justice system or experiencing foster or kinship care.
• 74% of these young individuals come from low-income households, facing unique challenges that require tailored support.
• 64% of mentored youth identify as BIPOC, bringing diverse perspectives and enriching the mentoring experience.

Supporting Mentors

At MENTOR Washington, we believe every young person deserves a champion. Through advocacy, training, and direct support, we empower mentors and programs dedicated to nurturing the potential of every child. Our ongoing efforts ensure that mentors are equipped to provide the guidance and support that make all the difference.

MENTOR Washington is proud to work with so many agencies in Washington State. We have developed partnerships and deep relationships over the past 20 years. We work collaboratively to directly support vulnerable youth as well as impact systems change. MENTOR Washington is a critical part of the safety net for the most vulnerable youth in Washington State.

Our partnership with DCYF goes all the way back to our roots. The work began at DSHS and has transitioned to DCYF. We collaboratively support mentorship for youth experiencing foster care and the juvenile justice system.  

MENTOR Washington provides critical support to programs providing mentorship to the most vulnerable youth in our communities. This is achieved through shared work with DCYF staff members including professional development and robust programming such as our pilot for Mentoring Youth Experiencing Foster Care. This pilot launched in 2023 and MENTOR Washington brings together DCYF staff, mentoring providers and young adults with lived experience to implement best practices.

The education of Washington youth is a critical component of a young person's growth and development. Our partners at OSPI know that relationships between educators and students matter. A community's support is also critical for healthy schools and OSPI has proven to be champions of mentoring time and time again. 

Mentoring is an evidenced-based prevention strategy for substance abuse and positively impacts behavioral health. Our partners at the Health Care Authority collaborate with MENTOR Washington to review mentoring programs who apply for HCA funding, ensuring that programs are indeed implementing best practices for mentoring.

If you provide community based mentoring and are looking for funding we might have a resource for you! Start by filling out our Mentoring Practices Survey*. Once you fill out the survey:

1. You will met with someone on MENTOR Washington's team and they will discuss with you if you are eligible for Community Prevention & Wellness funding through the Healthcare Authority and local CPWI coalitions.
2. Our team will work with you to see what support you may need for your mentoring program to optimize youth outcomes!

*If you already filled out the Mentoring Practices Survey recently feel free to reach out to Harmony at [email protected]

Join Ryshun Sampson, MENTOR Washington’s Marketing & Communications Officer, in our 2024 Marketing Mastery Series starting Wednesday, November 6th. This four-part series equips youth mentoring programs with essential marketing strategies to enhance their visibility and impact. Dive into marketing planning, content creation, digital strategies, and preparations for National Mentoring Month. Sessions continue every other week, concluding on December 19th. Equip your team with the skills to thrive! It is recommended to register and attend all workshops, but not a requirement.

Series Schedule:

*All Workshops will be held @ 1-2:30pm (PST)

Wednesday, November 6, 2024: Introduction to Marketing Planning

Wednesday, November 20, 2024: Content Creation and Brand Messaging

Thursday, December 5, 2024: Digital Marketing and Social Media Engagement

Wednesday, December 18, 2024: Preparing for National Mentoring Month

Perfect for program coordinators, marketing staff, and organizational leaders aiming to enhance their marketing efficacy and community engagement.

Register Here!

Dr. Werntz will describe the important role that anxiety plays in our lives, and how it can make life more challenging. Mentors will learn the common symptoms of anxiety and how our “anxious brain” can make us act in ways that aren’t aligned with our values.

She will also cover effective, evidence-based strategies for supporting youth experiencing anxious feelings and worries.

When: Wednesday, Dec 4th 12-1pm PST

Register Here!

Workshop Outcomes:

1. Increase your knowledge of the definition of trauma and grief
2. Learn more about the various ways loss can be present in youth
3. Understand trauma-responsive care and post-traumatic growth
4. Apply these learnings to strengthen resiliency in youth via strength-based language and other tools
5. Build your knowledge around how mentoring can help youth walk healthy post-loss journeys
   

About the Presenter: Sara Wingerath-Schlanger, Senior Director (She/Her)

Senior Director of Mentoring, Sara Wingerath-Schlanger, returned to Tuesday's Children in September 2017, where she had previously served for many years as the Director of Tuesday’s Children’s Youth Mentoring Program - for children who lost a parent on 9/11. Prior to rejoining Tuesday's Children, Sara was the Executive Director of Special Ops Survivors, serving bereaved spouses of Special Operations heroes, and Program Director of ArtWorks, the Naomi Cohain Foundation, bringing innovative arts programming to medically complex youth in hospitals. Sara began her career at Big Brother Big Sisters of Massachusetts Bay where she learned the power of matching agents of change with children through a strength-based model.

Sara went to Hobart and William Smith Colleges for her undergraduate experience and holds a Master’s in Public Administration (MPA) from Suffolk University, with a concentration in nonprofit management. She brings extensive knowledge of best practices in mentoring—including outreach, recruitment and screening—as well as an instrumental understanding of the landscape of current services available to bereaved military families and their long-term needs for support and growth. Sara has designed and executed trainings for other mentoring professionals on supporting grieving children and has served on advisory boards and boards of directors at various nonprofits impacting positive change.

Sara has presented at conferences on such topics as Trauma Responsive Mentoring, Leadership in Uncertain Times, and was part of a chosen group of mentoring leaders at the Summer Institute on Youth Mentoring at Portland State University. Sara has led the team through several Technical Assistance pro bono grants as selected by MENTOR, and has completed the National Quality Mentoring System evaluation which recognizes high quality mentoring programs though a standardized process. Sara has been a guest at Capitol Hill to speak about supporting military bereaved youth as well as being a spokesperson on the impact of mentoring.

Sara has worked with Empower Youth Network as a volunteer and serves of the Board of Timber Ridge Elementary School’s Parent Teacher Student Association, the Chief Kanim Middle School Music Boosters and the Snoqualmie Valley Parent Teacher Student Association Council. She lives in Snoqualmie, WA with her two children, partner and rescue dog.

When: Monday December 9th 1-2:30pm PST

Register Here!