Portland Mentoring Alliance

The Portland Mentoring Alliance was established in 1992 and, over the past twenty-six years, volunteers from the business, education, and retirement communities throughout Greater Portland have been matched with Portland High School students to create supportive mentoring relationships. Many students who request a mentor are first generation immigrants or refugees and especially benefit from having a native born English-speaking adult help them navigate this important time in their lives. The program focuses on academic success, post secondary planning, and socialization as experienced in a one-on-one mentoring relationship.

The Portland Mentoring Alliance seeks to improve the life qualities of both young people and adults as they experience the multiple values of a one-on-one relationship Primarily, a mentor serves as a consistent, reliable role model and a trusted friend to a high school student. The relationship provides the mentor with opportunities to share professional and personal interests and offer the student support and career/college guidance. Usually a mentor meets with the student for a minimum of one hour per week for one school year. Interested individuals fill out an application and are introduced to expectations and responsibilities through an orientation. Mentors are not charged with the welfare of the student but rather are asked to commit to developing a positive, supportive relationship with their mentee. Mentors are matched with students who have requested such an association and who understand the role of a mentor.