Tips for Mentors

Helpful Tips

• Letter writing is the first form of communication; email and phone calls are optional, if available. Few students have access to personal email or cell phones.

• Rather than sending a few, lengthy letters, which can be overwhelming, send frequent, short letters.

• To really engage your student in communicating with you and in building your relationship, be sure to ask all the ‘W’ questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why?

• Do you want more photos of your student? Send him/her a disposable camera with a return envelope.

• Share a map or pictures of the area where you live and ask for the same from your student; it is very helpful to get an idea where each of you live.

• If your student is from a New Mexico Pueblo tribe they celebrate an annual Feast Day; find out the date on our Event Calendar. Many visitors attend and it is a great opportunity to meet your student, his/her family, and experience their culture.

Also, bear in mind…

• Futures cannot guarantee delivery of any time-sensitive gifts/packages from the Futures’ office to the community volunteer or student. Deliveries can only be made when Regional Coordinators are traveling to the community for other FFC business.

• Please introduce FFC to your family and friends, over 40% of our new mentors come from referrals by our current mentors.