At our previous Parma Area Ministerial Forum on September 22, Robert Gibbons, Mentoring Coordinator at Adoption Network Cleveland, shared an initiative called the Permanency Champions Mentoring Program.

 

Among the information Gibbons provided, he indicated a high need for mentors (aka. Permanency Champions) in the Parma area.  A Permanency Champion is a stable, mature adult mentor who serves as a source of encouragement and advocacy for a foster youth in the care of the county.

 

Currently, 130 youth in Cuyahoga County age out of the system each year.  Oftentimes, these youth have no permanent connections with any mentors that can help them transition to adulthood.  According to Gibbons, there is a particular need right now for male mentors, as well as African-American role models.

 

If you would like to learn more about how to become a Permanency Champion and help change a life, please contact Robert Gibbons at 216-482-2332 or robert.gibbons@adoptionnetwork.org.

 

You can also attend a Mentoring Orientation & Training on Thursday, November 20, 2014 at 5:30-8:30 PM. Trainings are held at Adoption Network Cleveland at 4614 Prospect Avenue, Ste. 550, Cleveland, OH 44103.