Many of you have either missed out in your youth, or even as a young adult, on learning and growing from a trusted parent or adult relative or mentor about how to properly handle the biggest issues of life. This lack of information, training, modeling, and encouragement early in life has only become larger as you face the challenges, discrimination, and barriers that come from succeeding in life with a criminal record. One way to successfully overcome these is to accept a mentor in your life (in alcohol and drug recovery circles this can be referred to as a "sponsor"). The links and information below provide helpful assistance of national and local resource information in order to learn about ex-offender mentoring and how to find one.
Possible sources of mentors can include: probation or parole office, AA, NA or similar group, local reentry service organization, local church, mosque or synagogue, school, etc.
Please take your time in finding one who will be reliable and trustworthy. Things to look for include: have they done this before, talking to someone who knows them well, seeing mature fruit in their life (e.g.., stable family, job, faith life, etc.), easy access to them day and night, personable, good communicator, supportive but honest, etc.
Here's an example mentor guide (from Released and Restored Ministry) that tells what mentoring is about and what a good one looks like and does.
Also, here's an ex-offender mentoring program example in Ohio called T.O.U.C.H and some You Tube video examples from them.
Opening Doors for Women in Need (Fort Worth)
Mentorcare Ministries (Fort Worth)
Cornerstone Assistance Network (Fort Worth)