To reach young people everywhere with our model for post-secondary success, we partner with local nonprofits to implement our mentoring program in their communities. We have a rich history of collaboration with nonprofit and community organizations, together serving more than 4,700 mentoring pairs in 18 cities. Check out our website to learn more about our partners.
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- Why partner with us?
- How does it work?
- iMentor Program Model
- What our partners are saying
- How do I become a partner?
Why partner with us?
With more than 20 years of experience in mentoring and post-secondary success, iMentor helps local nonprofits impact college outcomes for first-generation college students without having to reinvent the wheel. Together, our partners create a national network with a shared commitment to working with schools in low-income neighborhoods.
Learn more about our impact | Learn more about our partners' impact
How does it work?
Upon selection, organizations receive training on the iMentor model and implementation guidance on our curriculum, technology, evaluation and best practices to support mentoring pairs. Our dedicated team provides ongoing training and coaching to each partner. Nonprofit partners pay a partnership fee and are responsible for the screening, training and support of local volunteers.
iMentor Program Model
We match every student in a school.
The iMentor program is intended to be a mentoring model in which every student in a school is matched with a college-educated mentor. Based on where and how our partners engage with their students, the program can be adapted to fit a wide range of service delivery scenarios.
Long-term Mentoring Relationships
Mentors commit to working with a single student for a minimum of three years, building their relationships through weekly online communication and monthly in-person meetings. Mentoring pairs have the option to continue their relationship through college completion.
Curriculum and Staff Support
We provide the expertise and support mentors need to be effective, including a college success curriculum that guides each weekly interaction and a full-time staff member responsible for the success of the relationship. With our college success curriculum and staff support, mentors and students build their relationship through weekly online communication and monthly in-person meetings.
Personalized Guidance
Mentors gain a holistic understanding of their mentee’s individual talents, aspirations, and challenges, which allows them to provide a level of personalized support that could not be achieved through traditional school counseling alone.
What our partners are saying
Angela Reed Padilla | CEO, BBBS of Central New Mexico
Big Brothers Big Sisters partners with iMentor to serve nearly 500 students in New Mexico, which allows us to keep the fundamentals of quality youth mentoring while incorporating innovative technology structures and a college curriculum. Our significant results underscore that mentors can and do make a difference in the trajectory of a young person’s life, regardless of their circumstances, by helping them graduate high school and pursue postsecondary education and career success.
Amy Chionchio | President and CEO, BBBS of Metro Milwaukee
We decided to partner with iMentor to make our mentoring work relevant for the 21st century—contributing to citywide efforts to improve post-secondary outcomes for students. They offer a combination direct service experience and technology development that can’t be topped. The team at iMentor have been real partners to us, always there to navigate any issues or challenges and totally committed to our success.
April Klics | Vice President of Programs, BBBS Lone Star
By partnering with iMentor, we get the benefit of a blended model that effectively leverages the convenience of technology along with the quality practices of traditional mentoring that Big Brothers Big Sisters is known for. That mentors and students can conveniently use the curriculum to guide their online communication each week and meet up once-a-month in person makes this appealing for companies who want to provide their busy employees an opportunity to support Big Brothers Big Sisters.
Kara Finger | Vice President of Programs, BBBS East Tennessee
Partnering with iMentor has been the best decision we have made in our nearly 50 year history. We were searching for a way to engage our high school students that fit with their busy schedules, and iMentor allowed us to serve our students in a way they are comfortable with – technology. iMentor has truly been a partner with us every step of the way. From weekly strategy calls, curricular support, site visits, or troubleshooting bumps in the road, they have been there. Their invaluable guidance and leadership have helped make mentor2.0 a huge success for East Tennessee.
Wendy Foster | CEO, BBBS Massachussetts Bay
iMentor has helped us reach more youth with a high-impact program and bring a fresh, innovative, technology-enhanced model to our portfolio, all of which has helped us promote our innovation.
How do I become a partner?
Learn more about the application process for becoming an iMentor partner.
