Every young person has potential...As a Mentor you can help unleash it!

Project Overview

The Mentoring Program will match adult, community volunteers with youth in the housing project who attend Oakland Unified School District schools with the goals of:

• Assuring that all youth are motivated and inspired to graduate from high school
• All children and youth served will attend school 95% or more
• Older youth will be assisted in obtaining meaningful internships and/or paying jobs
• All youth being served will have access to, and use, the health services they need.

We are a mentoring and support program for at-risk youth. Our mission is to create a new community where youth participate in defining personal, educational and professional goals, while achieving those goals through life changing programs, projects, and one-on-one coaching provided, in part, by mentors who hold positions of leadership in Bay Area business, government and educational institutions

We envision a generation of youth who have reversed the trends of poverty, crime, unemployment, medical imbalance and lack of educational achievement that leave many communities in despair and individuals without hope.

Our Goals include:

• Empowering youth to build productive lives
• Increasing youth career opportunities and potential
• Helping youth to stay in school and to go to college
• Helping youth increase their social skills, self esteem, and self confidence

How Does It Work?

RMI mentors bring a wide range of expertise, experience and skills to our program.  They are corporate and government employees, public servants, educators, retired military personnel, and business owners.  They offer innumerable opportunities for at-risk youth to enhance and understand how to make good decisions about their future.  Most importantly, RMI mentors recognize the value of sharing their time and personal experiences with youth who are looking to create their own unique life paths.  Prior to beginning the RMI Mentor Training Program® mentors go through a complete background check and fingerprinting, in addition to signing a Mentor Contract. 

RMI mentees experience:

In addition to exposure to professional workplaces, mentees are also required to participate in social environments where they must apply acquired soft skills learned through RMI’s Life Skills workshops and seminars. We believe that the success of students today require exposure to a continuum of educational opportunities both inside and outside the classroom. Upon selection, mentees, as well as mentors must complete a two-hour training program prior to being matched.

Our goals are achieved through:

• One-on-One activities and social events
• Workshops and seminars
• Job-shadowing
• Life Skills Training and Development.

Additional information about mentoring is available by clicking on the "Frequently Asked Questions" button below

If, after reviewing this information, you wish to further explore becoming a mentor, click on the "Volunteer Now" button below. This will provide you contact information and lead you to an online application.