Career Mentor

Career Mentor—Brooklyn Borough of Community Service

Contact: Frank Sala, Volunteer Services Director, (718) 310-5621

Assist young, energetic teens research career options, explore their job interests, and discover their skills and talents, on Wednesdays from 6 to 8 pm through June at the Bed-Stuy Family Center (a program of the Brooklyn Bureau of Community Service). The career mentors are really more like role modelers and career counselors than mentors, as no volunteer-client contact is allowed outside the family center. Career mentors receive ongoing direction and support from a social worker. The program is nicely structured with activities to follow.

Application procedure: Call and schedule a first interview with Frank Sala, Volunteer Services Director, which is typically 30-45 minutes. The goal of the interview is: (1) provide a general orientation and overview of the Brooklyn Bureau, (2) help the candidate inventory his or her related experiences, skills and interests, and (3) to provide detailed information on the volunteer choices that may be good matches so the candidate can make an informed decision.


If the candidate and Mr. Sala identify a good volunteer opportunity match (and they usually do), Mr. Sala e-mails a detailed referral regarding the candidate to the desired program. That program then schedules a second interview at the program site. That interview usually is much shorter and is conducted by the staff member who would supervise the candidate. The final decision for candidate placement is up to the supervisor and the candidate. Both must feel comfortable to begin.

Fingerprints and proof of TB testing within the past 12 months are required by NYState Law for all volunteers who work with children and minors. The child care centers help you with that. NY State Law also requires BBCS’ centers to run candidate names through the NY State Child Abuse Central Registry.

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