Mentoring Connections
Joey’s Story
Joey (not his real name) is one of over 1,600 children in Dane County who has a parent in prison. He is 10 years old and his mother has been incarcerated since he was 6. His father is unable to care for him due to his own instability and history of incarceration. So Joey lives with his paternal grandmother, who is also raising several other grandchildren. Though Joey is bright, he is struggling in school. He worries about his mother in prison, his father on the streets and his loving but elder grandmother. He needs someone to share these feelings with. He needs someone to spend time with and talk to about his life and his future. Grandma is there for him, but he needs more. Joey needs a mentor.
There are other children like Joey - impacted in many ways as a result of a parental incarceration. Children of incarcerated parents face health, isolation, attachment and bonding issues. They may also be at risk for going to prison themselves. Seventy percent of incarcerated women are mothers of dependent children. There are disproportionate numbers of people of color in Wisconsin's priosons. Mentoring Connections is a program offered through the Madison-area Urban Ministry that matches children between the ages of 4 and 18 that have an incarcerated parent with a caring adult mentor.
- Live in Dane County and are between 4 and 18 years of age
- Have a parent who is presently incarcerated in a federal or state prison,
- or who has been sentenced to a state or federal prison but is in jail awaiting transfer to the prison
- Desire one-to-one contact with a mentor at least one hour weekly for at least one year
- Have written consent from their parents/guardians
Children are eligible to receive a mentor if they:
- Be at least 18 years of age
- Be screened and trained to be a mentor
- Make a one year committment to spend an hour or more per week with their mentee
- Participate in some of tyhe group activities with their mentee
- Be familiar with and nonjedgmental about the eligible children or their famlies
- In appropriate mutually agreeable cases, accompany their mentee to visit his or her incarcerated parent
Volunteer mentors will:
For an application as a Mentor or child click on the link below. Complete
the application and mail it to:
Mentoring Connections Program
2300 South Park Street, Suite # 5
Madison, WI 53713
Telephone: (608) 256-0906
FAX: (608) 256-4387
- Mentee Application, to request a mentor
- Mentor Application, to obtain an application to become a mentor.
For more information about the Mentoring Connections program or to register for training contact:
Lynn Miller, Project Manager
Madison-area Urban Ministry
2300 S. Park Street, Suite 5
Madison, WI 53713
(608) 256-0906
Revised: 02/05/07