Workshop Will Brief Potential Mentors

A free workshop for people interested in becoming mentors will be offered at the Volunteer Center Assistance League of Southern California today.

The workshop will teach the basics of mentoring, such as the commitment it requires as well as ways of developing one-on-one relationships with at-risk youths, said Joan Kagan, director of volunteer services at the Panorama City-based center.

“Mentoring combines both academic [aspects] and friendship,” Kagan said. “It’s really a way of establishing a positive personal relationship with a mentee and helping them develop life skills.”

As part of the workshop, the center has invited representatives from 14 Los Angeles-area agencies seeking prospective mentors to work with children, Kagan said. Those attending the workshop will have opportunities to speak with representatives.

Valley-area agencies represented at the workshop include the Jeopardy Family Center, which runs an after-school tutoring and sports program for at-risk youths in San Fernando; Kester Elementary School in Van Nuys, which is seeking tutors, mentors and teacher’s aides to work with children; and San Fernando Gardens, a Pacoima housing development that needs tutors and mentors for its after-school programs.

“The way the workshop is going to be presented, you might say it’s kind of a mentoring fair,” Kagan said, “and that is our mission--to help both the agencies who are looking for mentors and the volunteers out there who don’t know where to begin.”

The workshop will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the center, 8134 Van Nuys Blvd., Suite 200, Panorama City.

Seating is limited and reservations are required. For reservations and other information, contact the center at (818) 908-5146 or visit the Web site at https://www.volunteers.org.