Our Partners
We partner with many mentoring organizations in the Greater Charleston Area. However, listed below are just a small number of the many mentoring organizations throughout the Lowcountry. Below are the organizations that we work with most closely. If you have questions or have an organization that you would like to add, please call the Be A Mentor Program at (843)-554-5987.
Find the one that most interests you, and then click the “Apply!” tab.
Big Brothers Big Sisters
This program gives you the opportunity to share the magic of a relationship with a child. Simply just doing homework or eating ice cream, you and our professional staff help create the tools for your little brother or sister to soar. One-to-one community-based and site-based mentoring. Flexible volunteer opportunities that work with your schedule.
Boys & Girls Club of the Trident Area
The Boys and Girls Club of the Trident Area provides after-school and summer programming to youth between the ages of 6-18. Boys and Girls Club is part of a nationwide affiliation of local autonomous organizations that work to help young people develop the qualities they need to become responsible citizens and leaders.
As of August 25th 2010 the Boys and Girls Club is in the process of evaluating which schools they will be in this year. If you have questions please contact Be A Mentor directly at 843-554-5987 or info@beamentornow.org
Communities In Schools
The mission of Communities In Schools (CIS) is to surround students with a community of support, empowering them to stay in school and achieve in life—and we need your help to do just that! Please contact us to discuss any of the following mentoring opportunities:
• Clark Academy Mentoring Program: Clark is an alternative high school for students at-risk of dropping out, but determined not to do so. The mentor program is one-on-one and community based, and matches a Clark student with an adult mentor. We ask that volunteers commit the school year and spend a minimum of 1 hour/week with the student they are matched with.
• Lunch Buddies Program: We ask mentors to come in weekly and spend time at lunch or reading with an elementary school student. This program is available through CIS at many schools throughout Charleston and Berkeley Counties. Please contact us regarding specific schools.
Eyes On The Child
Eyes On The Child is a school based mentoring program aimed in providing caring adult mentors for foster children ages 8-15 in the Charleston County Schools. This program was designed by Be A Mentor, the state Department of Social Services, and the Charleston County School District. Utilizing the CCSD Lunch Buddy program model, mentors will meet with their mentee at school for the lunch hour. We ask mentors for a commitment of one school year (September-May) and a minimum of two meetings a month, although a meeting weekly is preferred. A volunteer orientation is offered and we strongly suggest that all our mentors attend a session.
Metanoia: Young Leaders Program/Freedom Summer School
Faith-based program that pairs mentors with children for lunch buddies during school hours or for after school tutoring/mentoring activities with elementary-aged students. During the academic year, Metanoia operates after-school program from 3pm-6pm.
The Summer Freedom School will begin June 23rd and will end July 25, 2008. The program runs from 8am to 3pm Monday through Friday and has two sites: Metanoia and Mary Ford Elementary School. Mentors at the Freedom school will be utilized to help with the Social Action Projects.
The Outreach Learning Center at St. Matthews
A Faith-based organization that sponsors the following program:
AS KIDS: Students in grades k-6 come from local downtown schools to find help and support with their homework. Reading skills are stressed daily as well as math and organization skills to improve their school success. Homework is followed by a daily enrichment activity ranging from art and computer class to community service and reading improvement.
Wings for Kids
This program focuses on social and emotional learning. The program includes academic help, service learning and choice times (art, drama, athletics, cooking, computer lab, etc.) The program runs after school and ends once summer begins. They need volunteer mentor/tutors to help with homework Monday through Friday 4:45-5:30pm at Memminger and from 4:15-5:00 at Chicora.
Young Ladies/Leaders Conquering Obstacles
Devoted to empowering youth in the Charleston area, Young Ladies/Leaders Conquering Obstacles, Inc. (YLCO) is a non-profit organization that provides programs for young ladies, ages 11-18, to enhance their individual, social, emotional, intellectual, spiritual, and physical development. In January 2008, the program expanded even further to include young men, Young Leaders Conquering Obstacles. YLCO is a community/school based character-building organization that provides peer groups for adolescents and creates an environment that raises aspirations and promotes achievement. The mentors of YLCO and community volunteers have been and continue to be actively involved in providing ongoing guidance, program support and technical assistance to our youth. The members of the programs are retirees, educators, professionals and business women and men from the community, schools and church who are committed to saving out youth from the perils of academic failure, poor choices, low self-esteem, and cripples failures.
SEACOAST’S Dream Center
Our mission is to help the youth of the Dream Center and the larger community to become productive citizens who make positive contributions, good choices and love God. With the introduction of the E3 Mentoring Program, mentors will be trained and equipped to achieve the objective of educating, empowering and elevating the students of the Dream Center. Building better lives and transforming communities is vital to our core mission and we believe one of the most impactful ways to accomplish this goal is to mentor students in five specific areas: 1.Spiritual 2.Academic 3.Leadership 4.Life Skills 5.Health and Wellness.
Charleston County Lunch Buddies Program:
Mentoring initiative that matches elementary school students with caring adults. The program offers students the opportunity to spend time with caring adult mentors that provide them with support and guidance. The pairs meet during lunchtime at the child’s school and can chat or do activities while they eat together. Lunch Buddies is offered at many elementary and middle schools throughout the county. If you wish to participate in the Lunch Buddies program, please indicate this on your application. We will get back to you with a list of schools that offer this program in your area.
Here’s a link to the application: