Professional Mentor "Friend"- Coachella Valley 2026

Coachella Valley, CA $24.04–$28.85 hourly PROFESSIONAL MENTOR “FRIEND” Friends of the Children is a nonprofit that is impacting generational change by empowering youth through relationships with professional mentors. We do this by providing children facing the most obstacles with a long‑term, paid, professional mentor, called a “Friend,” from kindergarten through high school graduation, 12+ years – no matter what. We are currently seeking an extraordinary professional to embark on a new career journey as a Friend in the Eastern Coachella Valley. At Friends of the Children, we put children first and use our values to change the way the world treats and views youth facing great barriers. As a Friend you will nurture long‑term relationships from a foundation of love, acceptance, and practices. You will help urban, rural, and Indigenous youth discover their limitless potential, fostering their internal resiliency, building relationships within their communities to strengthen social networks and provide bridges to new opportunities. Basic Function / Position Objective We are currently seeking a mentor to serve as a positive adult role model to eight elementary children and develop loving, caring, and sustained relationships with each child. A Friend will set positive expectations; nurture and promote each child’s strengths, talents, and abilities; help ensure physical and emotional well‑being; teach life and academic skills; provide enrichment activities; and model responsible behavior. A Friend will fully document activities and participate in the ongoing evaluation process. Friends will work primarily one‑on‑one with the children they serve, while also building trusting supportive relationships with parents/caregivers. A Friend must know, understand, honor, and support the organization’s mission, vision, values, and principles, and be able to clearly articulate the organization’s function. Essential Functions and Responsibilities Develop and sustain a long‑term, caring, protective, and loving relationship with each child. Spend time with children, one‑on‑one. Partner with parents/caregivers to provide concrete and social‑emotional supports for the family. Set realistic expectations and goals based on each child’s strengths, talents, abilities, and needs. Teach life skills and help develop a talent/skill/area of interest with each child. Deepen connections for youth through incorporating specific cultural knowledge in programming. Provide enrichment resources and activities that include opportunities for cultural identity development. Develop positive relationships with families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life. Reinforce basic academic skills. Maintain a 40‑hour work schedule that includes afternoons, evenings, and occasional weekends. Maintain spending within budgetary guidelines. Complete, distribute, and collect time summaries, activity journals, short‑term plans, expense reports, and evaluation materials accurately and in a timely manner. Attend and actively participate in team meetings and staff functions. Maintain First Aid/CPR certification. Transport children in personal vehicle as required for mentoring activities. Mileage is reimbursed. Provide information and support to the development and executive team on related activities. Fulfill other responsibilities as requested. Ideal Candidate Qualifications 2‑ or 4‑year degree, or at least seven years of progressive experience working with children and families. Willingness to commit for a minimum of three years. Advocate to secure additional resources, opportunities, and services for youth as appropriate. Assist with systems navigation in schools to secure conditions for optimal academic success. Strong interpersonal skills. Demonstrated ability to work with children in varied capacities and settings. Ability to develop trusting relationships with children, families, teachers, and others involved in each child’s life. Ability to work independently and as a team player. Ability to manage several concurrent issues and solve problems effectively. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Strong organizational and time management skills. Spanish language skills, including reading and writing preferred. Salary Range $24.04–$28.85 hourly, non‑exempt Benefits Paid sick and vacation time. Comprehensive health, dental, vision, and long‑term disability. 401(k) with 3% match. Reports To: Program Director Location: Coachella Valley – Indio and Coachella Friends of the Children is an Equal Opportunity Employer, committed to addressing discriminatory practices. The equal employment opportunity policy of Friends of the Children provides fair and equal opportunities for all employees and job applicants. Friends of the Children hires and promotes individuals solely on the basis of their qualifications for the job to be filled. #J-18808-Ljbffr