Mentor Washington
Youth Mentoring Experts in Washington State
Our Impact
Amplifying Mentorship
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.
Public Partners
Overview of Public Partners
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.
Department of Children, Youth & Families
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.
Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction
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.
Health Care Authority
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.
20th Anniversary Brunch Recap
Services
Mentoring Program Services
Mentoring Program Services
Custom Support and Consulting
Training and Professional Development
Program Quality Assessment
Events
Mentor Learning Series: How to Build an Ecosystem Where Mentorship Thrives
Mentorship is often seen as a one-way street: a more experienced person guiding someone with less experience. But what if mentorship could flow in all directions, creating deeper connections, resilience, and growth throughout an organization or community?
In this engaging session, facilitator Sam Gorman will introduce the Four Pathways of Mentorship—a powerful framework that encourages mentorship as a dynamic ecosystem:
- Inner Pathway: Self-mentorship and personal reflection
- Outer Pathway: Peer support and collaboration
- Upper Pathway: Receiving guidance from mentors
- Lower Pathway: Mentoring others and uplifting future leaders
Participants will explore how to activate each of these pathways in their own work, leaving with strategies and tools to build a thriving mentorship culture.
Who Should Attend?
This workshop is ideal for educators, youth-serving professionals, nonprofit leaders, community organizers, and anyone invested in building intentional mentorship structures.
About the Facilitator
Sam Gorman (he/him) is a dynamic facilitator, mentor, and coach with deep roots in mindfulness, creative expression, and cross-cultural leadership. He holds certificates in Emergent Facilitation from Pacific Integral and Mindfulness Facilitation from UCLA.
Sam has led transformational experiences across the globe—from directing an international monastic life program for students from 25 countries to providing trauma-informed coaching that supports self-awareness and community resilience. His work centers on cultivating mentorship ecosystems that are inclusive, sustainable, and transformative.
Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/4Y7XcwS0QbamKlRxi6KClQ
