FAQS

Q. Where is building bridges located?

We meet Thursday evenings at St. Paul’s Methodist Church. Interested participants and volunteers can contact Building Bridges staff to learn about the specific meeting locations and times.

Q. What do you look for in a building bridges LEADERS?

Leaders come from many different backgrounds. Prospective Leaders who are primed for success in Building Bridges are individuals who have their needs met, but are still “stuck” in a place of limited resources and opportunities to move forward. Leaders are usually at a stable place in life, but are considered low income. They have taken steps to care for any personal needs or crises, such as substance abuse or mental illness, so that they are able to focus on long-term plans and changes to improve their financial stability and make other changes to reach long-term goals.

Q. What do you look for in an Ally?

Building Bridges has both Allies and Ad Hoc Allies. Allies are individuals who want to invest in a long-term friendship with another person, with understanding that change takes time. Allies are those who are willing to listen, ask questions, offer encouragement, and provide support within their network. Allies take genuine pleasure in getting to know other people. Allies must be willing to meet at least one Thursday night per month.

Ad Hoc Allies are more task-oriented people who enjoy helping others accomplish specific tasks and enjoy sharing their knowledge with others. They may be in interested in completing tasks like providing pro-bono work as a financial consultant, lawyer or mechanic, or they may be interested in teaching skills like budgeting or driving. Ad Hoc Allies may be people who wish to be an Ally, but are currently unable to make a long-term commitment to devote and share their time and talent with the a Building Bridges Leader.

Q. HOW IS AN ALLY ANY DIFFERENT FROM A MENTOR?

An Ally is different from a traditional mentor, because the focus is on a reciprocal friendship with a Building Bridges Leader. Rather than a mentor relationship, in which a person with more expertise comes into a relationship focused on a one-way sharing and support, Allies will receive support and will learn from Building Bridges Leaders and other Allies in the process. Allies and Leaders are always matched in groups rather than as a one-on-one pair: each network is a group of at least three.

Q. How can I volunteer?

Call or email Adrienne Weston - Building Bridges Program Coordinator - to schedule a meeting to discuss your volunteer interests. All Allies, child care, and resource team members go through an informal screening process with Building Bridges staff to ensure that their volunteer placement is the best fit for their skills and personality.

Q. What training and supports are available to a building bridges volunteer?

We ask all volunteers (other than those providing meals) to attend a few basic training sessions before they begin participating in Building Bridges. Additional training opportunities are also available throughout the year for interested volunteers. Allies and Resource Team members participate in a general orientation about the Building Bridges initiative. Allies also participate in follow-up training about forming healthy relationships with Leaders, which covers: stages of relationships, setting boundaries, and appropriate forms of assistance. After being matched with Building Bridges Leaders, Allies receive ongoing support.

Child care volunteers attend a general orientation to learn about Building Bridges and the roles of the child care volunteers. Rules and procedures related to the conduct of child care volunteers, behavior management, and addressing safety concerns are provided.

Q. How are Allies and building bridges Leaders Matched?

Allies and Leaders are matched in groups of one Leader or one Family and 2 or 3 volunteer Allies. The allies are invited to join the Leaders/Families for several meals towards the end of the Building Bridges Leader training. They are also invited to attend the Building Bridges Leader Graduation Celebration. Both of these opportunities allow Leader and Allies to begin forming more informal connections while sharing meals together. The graduation ceremony allows Allies to hear more personal stories from the Leaders as they share what they took away from the Leader training and the types of goals that they have made for themselves.

After graduation, Allies are encouraged to attend at least four weekly meetings in a row for the matching process. During the first month of Building Bridges meetings, the group will do various Get-to-Know-You activities to facilitate conversations and connections between Allies and Leaders. The staff at Building Bridges focus primarily on matching Allies and Leaders based on natural connections that are formed as everyone gets to know one another. Attention is also given to personal interests and the compatibility of the Leader’s goals and Ally skills. Allies and Leaders are also asked to give input into the matching decision. Staff considers this input during the matching process.

Q. How does building bridges really make a difference?

We work to build relationships across class divisions as a way to improve community conditions. The Building Bridges program reduces the number of families and individuals who rely on government programs and charitable aid. More importantly, it breaks the cycle of poverty as graduates teach their children how to get ahead, not just get by. The program can lead to an increase in the number of educated workers in the community, as well as reduce said community’s unemployment and incarceration rates. Building Bridges has already begun the process of changing lives, right here at home.