kids.now

Who is eligible to become a coach-mentor?

kids.now coach-mentors must be:

• Fun and enthusiastic
• Able to relate to kids
• Open to other cultures and diversity
• At least 21 years old
• Committed to making a positive difference in kids' lives
• Interested in developing new skills that could improve your own life

What are the benefits of becoming a kids-now coach-mentor?

When you volunteer your time as a kids.now coach-mentor, you become a positive influence during a critical developmental period in a child's life. It's a time when kids make choices that can change the course of their lives forever. Mentors help kids make positive choices.

A major US study found that young people with mentors are:

• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to begin using alcohol
• 52% less likely to skip school and more confident in their performance in school work
• getting along better with their families

In addition, research confirms that people gain a multitude of skills from volunteering, including enhanced interpersonal skills and improved ability to understand people better, motivate others, and deal with difficult situations. Communication skills are also improved. In fact, many kids.now coaches confirm that they apply the skills they developed through the program to their daily lives.

What do previous coach-mentors say about the program?

"kids.now shook my world for the better. It's a venue for people like me, who want to inspire our youth into a world of possibilities." Dr. Vikas Bansal

"They say when you teach someone something, that's when you really learn it. This is certainly true in my case. I have been able to use a lot of the skills I'm teaching through the kids.now program in my daily work." Louanna Rajack-Mootoo

"The whole program is amazing.....it was a joy to be part of something so great." Angela Morgan

"The life skills I have taught kids.now students are skills that I find myself using in both work and daily living. I have benefited from the program as much as the kids have!"Melissa Occhicone

What are the time commitments involved in being a coach-mentor?

• One six-hour training session with other coach-mentors
• Weekly 1.5 hour program sessions for 12-weeks (fall or spring)
• Half-hour preparation time each week for 12 weeks

Do the six-hours of coach training occur on the same day? Does it take place over a weekend or during work hours?

The six-hour training session takes place on a Saturday, between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., generally a couple of weeks before the start of the program.

When should the preparation be done for each session?

Several kids.now coaches say they find it most effective to thoroughly review the chapter of material two or three days prior to the upcoming session, and then skim the material again on the day of delivery. Coaches are not expected to memorize the material, they should just be comfortable with the information they are going to deliver.  

When and where do the sessions with the kids take place?

The kids.now program takes place in school, afterschool and runs between 3:30 and 5:00 p.m. on one weekday evening for 12 weeks during either the fall or spring (please note: start time may differ slightly depending on the school. For some, start time is 4 p.m.). The location within the school will depend on availability (usually the school library, classroom or auditorium), and the day of the week is different for every school. Sometimes the coach and the kids will decide together what day of the week is most convenient (as long as it is approved by the school contact).

How many kids are in each program?

The student to mentor ratio is 10-1. Research indicates that this is the ideal ratio for programs like ours.

Who are the kids that enroll in the program?

The kids.now program is for kids in grades 7 and 8. Kids are self-selected - they choose to sign up — so they're in the program because they want to be there, which enhances the experience for both kids and coaches. This program attracts kids from all walks of life, which adds diversity and value to the program, as each participant shares his or her own life experiences and perspectives.

Do I need to have previous experience working with children?

No, you don't need previous volunteer experience with children to be a kids.now coach-mentor, but you must be able to relate to kids and be committed to making a positive difference in their lives.

How will I know what to teach the kids?

kids.now provides extensive training and thoroughly tested course materials, including workbooks with interactive exercises and activities, to all coach mentors. See program details for more information on the skills taught in the program.

Does a coach-mentor have a choice of school or location at which to volunteer?

Generally, kids.now matches volunteer coaches with schools. However, kids.now strives to accommodate if a volunteer requests a school in a specific area that is close to work or home. Also, if volunteers have a connection in a local school where they would like to coach, they can make a preliminary approach to the school to gauge interest in the kids.now program, and then send the school's contact information for follow-up by one of our Program Managers. However, in this case, the coach has to make preliminary contact with the school they are interested in, and the school must confirm their interest in having the program before our Program Managers can follow-up.

Are coaches substituted if they can't make it to a session?

If a coach is sick or absent for some other reason, they must inform the school contact and either the day of the week in which the program is held is changed to another day that week, or an extra week is added to the end of the session to make up for it.

What do I do if I have a question once the program begins?

Your first point of contact will be the school contact (or "school champion"). You will also stay in regular contact with your program manager throughout the session.

Is there a way to connect with other kids.now coach-mentors?

Yes, you will meet a number of new coach-mentors, volunteering at the same time you are, during the coach training session held a few weeks before your program begins. We encourage coaches to connect with other coaches to share ideas, key learnings and information. Also, one of our coaches has set up a Facebook page specifically for coaches to connect and ask questions.

How do I become a kids.now coach-mentor?

It's as easy as 1-2-3: 1. Complete and submit the application form 2. Pass a personal reference check and a police check 3. Attend a personal interview with a kids.now program manager

Is there a lead time/deadline to apply for a coaching position?

Yes. The deadline for fall programming is early September and the deadline for spring programming is early March.

When do programs run?

Programs run once a week for 12 weeks during the fall/winter (September to January) and during the spring (March to June).

Is there anything else I should know about becoming a kids.now coach-mentor?

Being a kids.now coach mentor is a fun and rewarding experience. We have many coach-mentors that come back time and time again. We look forward to having you join our coach community to help more kids make positive choices and reach their full potential. If you have a question that you don't see here, please drop us a line, and we'll follow-up with you directly. We may even add your question to this section!