The word mentor - meaning a wise and trusted teacher or counselor - finds its beginnings in the epic tale, "The Odyssey," by the poet Homer. Odysseus, the King of Ithica in ancient Greece, had a son named Telemachus. When Odysseus went off to fight in the Trojan War, he asked a trusted friend named Mentor to look after his son. Since then, the word mentor has become synonymous with someone who is a friend, a guide, a wise teacher.

What is GIFT? GIFT is a mentor/tutor program established by the Sacramento Local Conservation Corps (SLCC) in an effort to provide young adult corpsmembers with the skills and confidence to make responsible choices about their futures.

What is a mentor? A mentor is someone who is caring, consistent, a good listener, and who can lend a supporting hand to help others in becoming productive, contributing members of society. Mentors are ordinary people who are willing to share their expertise and experience with others. The best mentors are people whose own enthusiasm for their work and recreation is so contagious that they inspire others just by doing what they enjoy. A mentor assists another person in reaching their education and career development goals and enhances the individual's self-esteem.

How much of my time would GIFT require? The amount of time you dedicate and your level of involvement is entirely up to you. Whether you decide to be an occasional guest speaker, work with a group of young adults, or develop a one-on-one friendship with an individual corpsmember, the choice is yours. Remember, just a couple of hours of your time each month will make a tremendous difference in the life of a young adult and have a ripple effect on the success of our community.

Who are the people I will be working with? The SLCC employs young adults 18 to 26 years of age in the field of outdoor conservation including stream and flood control channel maintenance, recycling, and community clean-up projects. They start at minimum wage and learn a work ethic, basic job skills, responsibility, teamwork, and self-esteem. At the SLCC offices, these hardworking corpsmembers are also enrolled in classes to complete their High School Diploma, and obtain training in Basic Computers, CPR, First Aid, Conservation Awareness, Goals Setting, Conflict Resolution, Work Expectations, Personal Finances, Defensive Driving, Small Tool Safety, and Employability Skills. As a mentor you would be assisting in our goal to provide a development program that integrates education, job skills training and work experience through conservation projects and service opportunities that benefit the community.

What kind of person should become a member? Mentors should have a desire to share their own life experiences in learning and working with others. Mentors are helpers. Your style may range from that of a persistent encourager who helps to build self-confidence, to that of a taskmaster who teaches appreciation for excellence in performance. Mentors encourage personal growth by offering knowledge, insight, perspective or wisdom that is especially useful to another person. A mentor respects and strives to enhance a person's special strengths and, equally important, a mentor offers lessons in life and personal honor by being a friend and role model. Mentors are unique people who are willing to make a commitment to help the next generation navigate a successful life path.