Mentor Washington

Join us Saturday, October 18th, 2025 at the Historic African American Museum in Seattle, Washington!

Our brunch event will kick-off at 10am with food catered by Rain City Catering.

A special thank you to our amazing sponsors for amplifying mentorship and making this event possible. Tickets are FREE!

Reserve your seat at empowering Washington's youth today: https://givebutter.com/c/2025Brunch

For two decades, MENTOR Washington has been at the forefront of fostering meaningful connections that change lives. Our commitment has supported a beautifully diverse community of youth across Washington State, guiding them through challenges and opportunities alike.

Youth We Impact:

• 51% of youth in state mentoring programs are involved with the juvenile justice system or experiencing foster or kinship care.
• 74% of these young individuals come from low-income households, facing unique challenges that require tailored support.
• 64% of mentored youth identify as BIPOC, bringing diverse perspectives and enriching the mentoring experience.

Mentoring Foster Youth

MENTOR Washington (MW) and Department of Children, Youth & Families (DCYF) have partnered to host a pilot to provide mentorship specifically for youth experiencing foster care.

The partnership includes local programs who deliver the mentoring services either through volunteers or staff. MW and DCYF are providing training and technical support to partner programs. Mentoring is added support not only for youth but for foster parents as well.

Supporting Mentors

At MENTOR Washington, we believe every young person deserves a champion. Through advocacy, training, and direct support, we empower mentors and programs dedicated to nurturing the potential of every child. Our ongoing efforts ensure that mentors are equipped to provide the guidance and support that make all the difference.

MENTOR Washington is proud to work with so many agencies in Washington State. We have developed partnerships and deep relationships over the past 20 years. We work collaboratively to directly support vulnerable youth as well as impact systems change. MENTOR Washington is a critical part of the safety net for the most vulnerable youth in Washington State.

Our partnership with DCYF goes all the way back to our roots. The work began at DSHS and has transitioned to DCYF. We collaboratively support mentorship for youth experiencing foster care and the juvenile justice system.  

MENTOR Washington provides critical support to programs providing mentorship to the most vulnerable youth in our communities. This is achieved through shared work with DCYF staff members including professional development and robust programming such as our pilot for Mentoring Youth Experiencing Foster Care. This pilot launched in 2023 and MENTOR Washington brings together DCYF staff, mentoring providers and young adults with lived experience to implement best practices.

The education of Washington youth is a critical component of a young person's growth and development. Our partners at OSPI know that relationships between educators and students matter. A community's support is also critical for healthy schools and OSPI has proven to be champions of mentoring time and time again. 

Mentoring is an evidenced-based prevention strategy for substance abuse and positively impacts behavioral health. Our partners at the Health Care Authority collaborate with MENTOR Washington to review mentoring programs who apply for HCA funding, ensuring that programs are indeed implementing best practices for mentoring.

This interactive workshop will explore how trauma-informed care and strengths-focused arts practices can be powerful tools for mentoring and community engagement. Drawing on Path with Art’s 17 years of experience working with systems-impacted individuals and the latest research in Arts & Health, facilitators James Miles and Nikki Visel will guide participants through reflection, discussion, art exercises, and mini-lectures that model their unique approach to arts programming.

Participants will leave with practical strategies to:

• Build inclusive and accessible learning environments
• Strengthen community through creativity and connection
• Empower youth and communities with trauma-informed support

Join us to learn, create, and expand your mentoring practice through the arts.

Register Here

Co-facilitated by MENTOR Washington, MENTOR California , and MENTOR Minnesota

The Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™ (EEPM) is the gold standard for building and sustaining high-quality youth mentoring programs. Rooted in decades of research and refined through practice, the EEPM provides mentoring professionals with the structure, guidance, and flexibility to create safe, supportive, and effective mentoring relationships.

This four-part cohort series will break down all 16 Elements of Effective Practice into focused, interactive sessions. Participants will explore each section in depth, share strategies with peers, and leave with practical tools to strengthen their programs in real time.

Session Breakdown:

• Session 1: Elements 1–4
• Session 2: Elements 5–8
• Session 3: Elements 9–12
• Session 4: Elements 13–16

Whether you are new to mentoring or looking to refine established practices, this cohort offers a collaborative space to learn, connect, and apply proven strategies to ensure every young person has access to quality mentoring experiences.

Register Here