Veteran Mentoring

Rebuilding the Lives of Our Veterans through Support and Mentorship

For veterans, it is often a challenge adjusting to civilian life. The unique culture and potentially traumatic experiences can leave our heroes socially isolated, self-destructing and hopeless. It is the mission of La Crosse Area Veterans Mentor Program (LAVMP) to show our veterans that their communities have not forgotten them. To do this, LAVMP recruits and trains volunteer mentors capable of providing quality peer-to-peer mentorship.

A volunteer mentor is often required to serve as a companion, a guide, a role model, or an advocate for the veteran and their families. A mentor can assist in identifying needs, provide comradery in a time when a veteran may feel alone, help families understand the unique challenges that veterans face, and even function as an early alert to recent or imminent crisis.

Being a mentor incorporates a wide variety of talents and knowledge, yet all mentors require a few fundamental skills. These skills include listening to concerns, making general suggestions and helping veterans to utilize resources available to them and their families. Mentoring sessions typically do not last longer than 30 minutes, yet they can provide critical opportunities to bring up concerns and get feedback and support from the community.

Requirements to be a Volunteer Mentor:

· Adhere to all of the Policies and Procedures

· Complete required training

· Be capable of providing beneficial guidance

· Maintain confidentiality

Desirable Qualities: 

· Be a willing listener

· Be encouraging and supportive

· Be tolerant and respectful of individual differences

· Have military experience