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The Ariel Difference  |  Types of Service  |  Locations  |  Getting Started  |  FAQs

What is youth mentoring?

For many children in foster care or navigating family instability, trusted relationships with adults have been hard to come by—or haven’t lasted. Ariel’s Youth Mentoring program pairs children and youth ages 6–18 with trained mentors who show up consistently, build the relationship first, and work toward goals that actually matter to that young person—whether that’s learning to manage emotions, exploring new interests, building life skills, or simply having someone reliable in their corner. The program serves children in foster care, adoption, and living at home with their birth families, and goes by two names: Youth Mentoring publicly, and Community Support Services (CSS) in billing and county professional contexts.

Meet Isaac and Jenni

One young man who spent most of his childhood in foster care worked alongside an Ariel therapist and an Ariel mentor for approximately three years. The consistency of those relationships—showing up week after week, working toward real goals—made a difference that’s hard to overstate. By the time he graduated from high school, he had completed concurrent enrollment courses at WCCC, secured employment as a pharmacy technician, and built the skills to live independently. His mentor was at his graduation.

“What I love the most about mentoring is that on the best days it hardly feels like work. Building rapport and relationships with the children we interact with is often enjoyable and fulfilling. Getting to know them as individuals, supporting them through challenging transitions and obstacles in life, and witnessing their growth and positive changes is incredibly rewarding.“—Isaac, mentor

“Mentoring is such an important part of fostering. My belief is the more positive adults in a child’s life, the more confidence they gain — which is exactly what the mentoring program does. Kids in foster care need to know someone is there for them, not just for the hard parts but also to have fun and learn new things from their mentor. Kids in our house have learned skills like baking, perseverance, courage to try new things, and so much more. Ariel would not be the same without the mentor program for our foster youth!” — Jenni, foster parent

Types of Youth Mentoring / Community Support Services (CSS)

Every mentoring relationship starts with a meet and greet—the mentor, the youth, and the family together, typically at home. From there, sessions are built around two goals at a time: drawn from the youth’s treatment plan, from their therapist if coordination is in place, and from the youth themselves. Goals are woven into activities naturally; the activity doesn’t always look like the goal directly. A youth building self-confidence might try rock climbing. A youth working on life skills might cook a meal.

Beyond one-on-one mentoring, the CSS program includes a range of additional supports.

  • One-on-one mentoring | Typically once a week, two hours per session, in the community or at Ariel’s facility
  • Peer support group | Weekly group activities for peer connection and socialization
  • Independent living skills | Cooking, budgeting, job skills, and other practical skills taught in real-life contexts
  • Community access | Local partnerships that open doors to events and activities at little or no cost
  • CHRP/CES waiver services | Hourly respite and community connections for eligible children and youth; up to 6–8 hours per week depending on authorization
  • Summer Program | Structured activities, peer relationship building, and mentoring during summer months
  • Behavioral support | Trauma-informed support for youth with behavioral challenges
  • Therapy coordination | Mentor and therapist coordination to align on goals when a youth is receiving both services

Mentoring is about the relationship, not the activity. Sessions don’t need to involve spending money or going somewhere impressive. Some youth take time to engage; families are encouraged to give it at least a couple of months. If the match genuinely isn’t working after real effort, a different mentor can be requested.

Availability of individual services depends on current program capacity—contact the Grand Junction office with questions about your child’s specific situation.

Where we provide Youth Mentoring

Youth Mentoring is currently available in Grand Junction and on the Western Slope.

How to get started

Youth Mentoring is a referral-based program. Referrals typically come from DHS/child welfare, physicians, therapists, school professionals, and other local support agencies.

If you’re a family and you’re not sure where to start, call our main office—staff can walk you through whether your child may be eligible and what a referral looks like for your situation. Some families want to talk with a person before anything else—that works.

Call us at (970) 245-1616 or reach out through our contact form.

Interested in becoming a mentor? Contact us for more information about mentoring opportunities.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

If you don’t find what you’re looking for below, feel free to ask your question via our Contact Form.

One-on-one mentoring with a trained adult mentor, with sessions built around goals specific to each youth. Activities happen in the community, at Ariel’s facility, or at home. Short-term respite—in the home or during daily tasks—is also available to support the family. Group activities are available for youth to connect with peers and learn together.

There is no cost to families. Youth Mentoring is funded through DHS/child welfare, Medicaid, and Ariel’s community partnerships. There is no private pay option. Funding varies by case; call us directly to find out what applies to your child’s situation.

Referrals typically come through DHS/child welfare, a physician, therapist, or another support agency. If you’re not sure whether your child qualifies or how to get a referral started, you can call Ariel directly and speak with the Youth Mentoring supervisor. That conversation is a good place to begin—it doesn’t commit you to anything, and it often clarifies next steps quickly.

Mentors and youth typically meet once a week for about two hours. Where they meet depends on the youth and their goals—it might be out in the community, at Ariel’s facility, or at the family’s home. Children and youth on a waiver may be authorized for more time each week.

Duration varies by case and depends on the funding source. Mentoring typically continues until the youth’s goals have been met and the funder closes the case, until a youth moves or returns home, or if the family disengages from the program.

Sometimes. The standard age range is 6–18, but in some situations—depending on the funding source and the youth’s circumstances—services can continue past 18. Call the main office to find out what applies to a specific situation.

That’s common, especially at first. Families are encouraged to hold the line and give the relationship at least a couple of months—the initial awkwardness usually gives way once a youth and mentor start to find their footing together. If the match genuinely isn’t working after a real effort, a different mentor can be requested.

Mentors come from all kinds of backgrounds—retired adults, working professionals, college students. All are at least 21 years old and complete training in trauma-informed care, trust-based relationship building, CPR/first aid, and crisis intervention before working with youth. Matching considers the youth’s age, interests, family input, and other factors.

Requests are possible and considered, but can’t be guaranteed. Our program supervisor handles matching and takes multiple factors into account, including availability, the youth’s needs, and the family’s input.

Our mentor roster is currently full. Check our Careers page for updates on future openings.

>> Unless otherwise noted, all images and names represent real foster children and parents but actual images and names have not been used for privacy reasons. <<