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Family Support for Fragile Beginnings

One-on-One Mentor

The NICU journey can be an overwhelming experience for parents and sometimes, having a relationship with a peer who is intimately familiar with the path you are walking can provide the hope that you need.

Our One-on-One Mentoring Program pairs current NICU families with a mentor that provides support and guidance during and after the NICU experience. We work to match families requesting a mentor with a NICU graduate family who had a child born at the same gestational age and had a similar diagnosis. The goal is to provide NICU families with someone they can talk to and be encouraged by when things are difficult. To request a mentor, view our One-on-One Mentoring Program page and please fill out our contact form.

To be eligible to become a One-on-One Mentor you must have been out of the NICU for a minimum of 2 years. If you have been out of the NICU for at least 2 years please fill out our online mentor application. Once we receive your application, you will be contacted in order to set-up a personal interview. After that, we will be in touch to schedule you for our specialized  training program designed for peer mentors. Anyone wishing to be a One-on-One Mentor for NICU Helping Hands must complete this training program. Training sessions are held in the fall and the spring and will be posted on our website calendar as well as our Facebook page.

What Mentoring IS:

  • The mentoring experience is designed to provide current NICU families with a helpful resource who can provide support in challenging times, share their own NICU experiences, or assist families in identifying community resources and support.
  • NICU Helping Hands has seen time and time again the power of a friend in the midst of the NICU experience…especially a friend who has been through the NICU themselves.  Our mentors are available to be a friend, a supporter, an encourager, or an advocate during this journey.
  • Our mentor program is one of the many resources available through NICU Helping Hands.  Mentors can help point you towards NICU Moms CONNECT activities, support groups, activities for dads and much more.

What Mentoring IS NOT:

  • Mentors are not intended to be your source of medical information. Our mentors are not a replacement for your baby’s medical team. They can share their own experiences and how they handled the emotional challenges of their own medical crises but they aren’t a substitute for your baby’s doctor. NICU Helping Hands encourages families to follow up with their baby’s doctor, nurse or other healthcare providers for answers to medical questions.
  • A mentor is not a mental health professional but they may encourage you to speak with a professional if necessary. NICU Helping Hands staff and your mentor have access to resources that can assist you with anxiety, grief, stress, depression and other feelings you may be experiencing.
  • Requesting a mentor does not commit you to the relationship forever and you are free to end your mentoring experience at any time. Reassignment to a new mentor is also available upon request.

 

Mentor Application

Step 1 of 6

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  • Personal Information

  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • Child #1 Information

  • Child #2 Information

  • Child #3 Information

  • Child #4 Information

  • Volunteer Information

    We need peer mentors for parents who are experiencing an antepartum stay, a NICU hospitalization or the loss of a baby. If you have experienced any of these things we need YOU. We require that a mentor be post-experience a minimum of two years before serving as a NICU Helping Hands’ One-on-One Mentor. Please answer the following questions as they pertain to your experience.
  • Experience

  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • Date Format: MM slash DD slash YYYY
  • Have you ever been charged with or convicted of the following:

  • Please List 3 References

    (please no family members)
  • Reference #1 Information

  • Reference #2 Information

  • Reference #3 Information

  • NICU Helping Hands has my permission to:

  • By signing below, I affirm that I have answered all questions truthfully. I understand that if any portion of this application is found to be intentionally false, I may be denied the right to volunteer with NICU Helping Hands.
    During the course of serving with NICU Helping Hands, there will be occasions when you may be photographed and/or videotaped by staff, sponsors, corporate representatives, media or others. We request permission for your participation. By initialing below, you may choose to grant or deny NICU Helping Hands permission to use photographs or videotapes of yourself, alone or in groups, in (but not limited to) newspaper articles, newsletters, website, social media, online, brochures, special fundraising activities, scrapbook, videos and photo albums for use in public understanding and support of the NICU Helping Hands program. By granting permission below, you hereby release and hold harmless NICU Helping Hands from any claims, judgments, or demands that may arise from the use of the above referenced photographs and/or video.

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