How do I become a mentor?
How do I join as a mentee?
How can I contribute professionally?
How can I donate to WYSE?

How do I become a mentor?

When can I become a mentor?

WYSE only accepts new mentors at the beginning of each academic year, and we ask mentors to make at least a 1-year commitment, as this is crucial to allowing a relationship to form between the middle school girls and the mentors.  To find out more about becoming a mentor, and to sign up for an interview, please come to one of our information sessions at the beginning of the year (please check the Home and News pages for more specific information on this), or fill out the Contact Us form.

What are the requirements and responsibilities of mentors?

If you’re interested in becoming a mentor, you will need to sign up for an interview, which will take place in the beginning of October.  If you are selected to be a mentor, there will be two training sessions in mid-October, both of which you are required to attend (one is for new mentors, and one is for new and returning mentors).  These sessions are a time for mentors to become acquainted with the way WYSE functions, learn some strategies on mentoring the girls, and to get to know one another.   

Once all of the mentors are trained, we will begin our Tuesday meetings, which take place every Tuesday evening before our Friday sessions in Cobb.  In these meetings, we first discuss events and news as a group, and then break up into grades (6th grade mentors, 7th grade mentors, and 8th grade mentors) to prepare for the Friday sessions.  Mentors are required to come to the majority of these Tuesday meetings and Friday sessions, and to notify a director if they cannot make it, as every member of WYSE makes an important contribution to the whole and the mentees look forward to seeing us.  We go to Madero Middle School on every Friday that the girls have school, except for our Reading Period and Finals Weeks.  We leave for Madero at 1:45 on Fridays, though a small group of people also leave at 2:45, to accommodate mentors who have a class until 2:30.  While exceptions can sometimes be made for a quarter for mentors who cannot attend the Tuesday meetings due to a class, we cannot make exceptions for mentors who cannot make it to the Friday sessions. 

Besides the sessions at Madero Middle School, we also hold special training sessions for mentors once per quarter, where we learn strategies for becoming better mentors.  All mentors are required to attend these.  All mentors must also attend Special Events days that we hold several times a year, and which include a Sleepover at the University of Chicago, High School Day, College Day, Games Day, Ice Skating, the end-of-the-year Banquet, among others.  Exceptions are made on an individual basis for mentors that cannot attend a training or event, but mentors are required to make up the time to WYSE.  All mentors also participate in fund-raising activities once or twice per quarter.  Mentors must also commit to call their mentees once a week, and to spend time individually with their mentees (outside of sessions) once per quarter.  Lastly, mentors are encouraged to take part in committees formed to plan special events that interest them. 

The expected time commitment for mentors is 7-10 hours per week.  This time goes by quickly for many mentors, and the mentoring experience turns out to be very rewarding, as mentors form relationships with the mentees.  Also, mentors form encouraging and fun relationships with each other, and tend to spend time with each other sometimes outside of sessions, showing that WYSE is not just a network of womyn who is there for work, but for each other!  If you are interested in joining, please don’t hesitate to find out more about WYSE at our information sessions or by contacting a mentor!

How do I join as a mentee?

If you would like to come to a WYSE/Comadres session, you do not need to do anything ahead of time – just show up on Friday after school!  We will give you the permission slip that you need to fill out to be a member, and you will be all set!  If you are considering becoming a mentee, we hope you come to a session or trip to see what WYSE is all about! Or feel free to Contact Us!

How can I contribute professionally?

Every year, WYSE looks for adults who have already begun their careers to enrich sessions or special events.  This can include holding a special dance session for the mentees, giving a tour of Chinatown, or talking to them about your career during Career Day.  We also look for professionals to train the mentors on issues that allow us to become better-educated and more sensitive mentors.  If you would like to become involved with WYSE as a professional, please Contact Us… we would love to have your support!

How can I donate to WYSE?

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