About Refugee Services Family Mentor

Family Mentors are concerned and compassionate community members who dedicate their personal time to introduce newly arriving refugees to a welcoming and safe community network that provides supplementary resettlement support services. Family Mentors are placed with appropriate client families through agreement with the STVCC Refugee Services Volunteer Coordinator and work with the client and Case Manager to design their service program based on the individual needs of each client.

The Family Mentor experience is a 4 month commitment with a requirement of 4 hours each month. This time frame benefits both the client and the volunteer. This is an adequate amount of time for the volunteer to assist the client with adjusting to life in Lansing, but ensures that a relationship of dependence is not formed. The goal for all STVCC clients is self-sufficiency. The Family Mentor is to act as a support as clients learn to navigate life for themselves. A family mentor does not do for the client, but teaches the client the skills to do for themselves. This model also allows one volunteer to help as many as three families each year.

Application Process

To apply to be a Refugee Services Family Mentor, please visit http://stvcc.org/volunteer-application/ to submit your volunteer application.