how it works
The church appoints a program director who will lead volunteers and serve as the key point of contact with school partner.
Kids Hope USA provides structure, training, support, and resources designed for use in public schools by churches, as well as ongoing materials and a support team for personal assistance.
The program director attends a comprehensive training course.
The church recruits volunteer mentors plus a prayer partner for each of those mentors. Prayer partners provide support, encouragement, and accountability.
To ensure child safety, all volunteers complete an application, interview, and background check process.
Once ready to launch, the program director meets with the school principal or social worker and they match mentors with students the educators select.
Mentors meet with their students for an hour (-ish) of life together every week at school, during school hours.
Relationship building activities serve as the top priority, with time spent on academics, fun activities, and life skills. Some even pursue special projects—such as building a model car, writing a simple thank you note, or helping the janitor.
Life-building conversations take place. Together.
does it work?
Dr. Steven Gutierrez (Area Superintendent, Houston ISD) answered that question in a detailed study that concluded: “This school-based mentoring program has a positive impact on student achievement.”
Read a summary of the study by Dr. Gutierrez
Download the entire study, published by the University of Houston College of Education.
other valuable program elements include:
The Mentor App and website provide continuing education, resources, and mentoring hour activities for all program roles.
Daily progress reports completed by mentors for teachers following each student meeting.
Parents/guardians provide permission for student participation (all forms and reports provided as templates from Kids Hope USA).
Life Together
We recently developed several new relationship tools for mentors and students sure to change the trajectory of a young person’s life. Character formation, life skills development, and reading improvement will prepare every student to succeed. Some kids receive these important ingredients at home, while others don’t. Every one of them should.
success from the start; training
Kids Hope USA provides comprehensive training programs (all available online) for every role. For program directors, you and a group of peers will be guided by a trainer through the core elements of a Kids Hope USA program. Access online director training via smartphone, tablet, or computer. The time spent learning the materials and activities during training equips a leader to fully launch and run a program. Total instruction time is 12 hours. You will be contacted to meet either in person or over the phone prior to the start of training.
We also provide complete training courses for mentors and prayer partners upon the completion of director training.
For training questions contact us.
middle school mentoring
Kids Hope USA NEXT is an extension of an existing Kids Hope USA program that allows mentoring to continue into middle school. If you are an existing program and would like your church to continue mentoring students who will attend middle school, contact us.
what schools need to know
Designed for use in public schools
- No cost to the school for this program.
- Schools select students to participate.
- Volunteers are organized and led by the church director.
- Full and constant compliance with church/state separation guidelines.
- Mentors commit to show up for an entire school year.
what churches need to know
Comprehensive program, with flexibility for churches of any size/type
- Program available exclusively to churches.
- Includes training, support, resources, and ongoing materials for all roles.
- Regional support teams and child psychologist/counselor team for personal assistance.
- In use by congregations of less than 50 and more than 20,000.
- Positions any church to form relationships and meet the real needs of real people.
