Application Guide
How to Apply for Youth Mentor - Full-time, Paid, Long-Term
at Friends of the Children New York
🏢 About Friends of the Children New York
Friends of the Children New York uniquely implements a long-term, professional mentoring model where each mentor commits to 8-10 youth for 12+ years, from kindergarten through high school graduation. Unlike typical mentoring programs with volunteer turnover, this organization provides paid, full-time mentors who build deep, consistent relationships to break cycles of poverty and trauma. Working here means being part of a proven model that changes life trajectories for youth facing systemic barriers.
About This Role
As a Youth Mentor at Friends of the Children New York, you'll serve as a consistent, paid adult role model for 8-10 male youth, meeting with each child 4 hours weekly to provide academic support, life skills coaching, and enrichment activities. This role requires a minimum three-year commitment to build the sustained relationships necessary to help youth overcome significant obstacles and achieve their potential. You'll work directly with families and schools to create holistic support systems that address both immediate needs and long-term goals.
💡 A Day in the Life
A typical day might include morning check-ins with school staff about your youth's academic progress, followed by one-on-one sessions with two different boys focusing on homework support and social-emotional skill building. Afternoons often involve family visits to discuss support strategies with caregivers, documentation of youth progress in the organization's tracking system, and planning upcoming enrichment activities like museum visits or career exploration opportunities that align with each child's interests and developmental needs.
🚀 Application Tools
🎯 Who Friends of the Children New York Is Looking For
- Has direct experience building trust with male youth from marginalized communities, understanding trauma-informed approaches and cultural responsiveness
- Demonstrates proven ability to maintain consistent, long-term relationships with youth (2+ years with specific children/groups preferred)
- Possesses strong documentation skills for tracking youth progress, with experience in social services reporting requirements
- Shows commitment to the full three-year minimum term, understanding this isn't a short-term position but a career commitment to specific youth
📝 Tips for Applying to Friends of the Children New York
Highlight specific examples of long-term relationships you've maintained with youth (2+ years), including how you navigated challenges and celebrated milestones
Demonstrate understanding of the '12+ year model' by explaining how you'd approach relationship-building differently knowing you'll work with the same youth through multiple developmental stages
Include concrete examples of partnering with parents/caregivers, especially in challenging family situations common in communities facing systemic barriers
Show your commitment to the three-year minimum by explaining why you're ready for this long-term investment rather than just seeking any youth work position
Reference specific Friends of the Children program elements you've researched, such as their evidence-based outcomes or their approach to working with boys specifically
✉️ What to Emphasize in Your Cover Letter
['Your philosophy on long-term mentoring versus short-term interventions, specifically how sustained relationships create different outcomes', "Specific experience working with male youth facing systemic obstacles, including how you've addressed gender-specific needs and challenges", 'Examples of successful family partnerships where you supported both youth and caregivers through concrete and emotional challenges', 'Your understanding of the administrative demands of this role and how you ensure documentation supports rather than hinders relationship-building']
Generate Cover Letter →🔍 Research Before Applying
To stand out, make sure you've researched:
- → The organization's specific outcomes data for New York, including high school graduation rates and other metrics for their long-term model
- → Their approach to working specifically with boys/male youth and any gender-specific programming or training they provide
- → The '12+ year promise' model and how it differs from traditional mentoring programs in structure and expectations
- → Recent local partnerships or community initiatives Friends of the Children New York has undertaken with schools or other organizations
💬 Prepare for These Interview Topics
Based on this role, you may be asked about:
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Focusing primarily on short-term volunteer experiences rather than demonstrating capacity for long-term commitment
- Using generic language about 'helping kids' without addressing the specific challenges of youth facing systemic poverty and trauma
- Neglecting to mention administrative capabilities or viewing paperwork as separate from the mentoring relationship rather than integral to it
📅 Application Timeline
This position is open until filled. However, we recommend applying as soon as possible as roles at mission-driven organizations tend to fill quickly.
Typical hiring timeline:
Application Review
1-2 weeks
Initial Screening
Phone call or written assessment
Interviews
1-2 rounds, usually virtual
Offer
Congratulations!
Ready to Apply?
Good luck with your application to Friends of the Children New York!