Become a Mentor
Mentors are the backbone of SWAB. Each year, UGA students have the opportunity to sign up and attend Event Day in November with an Athens Elementary Student.
On Event Day, two UGA students are paired together with an elementary student from Athens (known as a mentee). Each UGA student mentor raises $75 before event day for a combined total of $150 per mentee.
Mentors can either pick their partner or go random and make a new friend.
On Event Day, mentors and mentees spend the day together shopping, wrapping gifts, and having fun.
Event Day Will Be Sunday, November 9th THIS YEAR!
Requirements:
- Raise $75, so that your mentee can have a total budget of $150 for gifts
- Attend a mandatory mentor training the week of event day
-Turn in a background check and registration fee
- Come to event day during your assigned shift time and have fun!
Mentor FAQ
What if I don’t have a partner?
No worries, this is common, we will assign you one.
How can I fundraise?
We will help you set up a Mightycause account and then be in contact with you later on the best ways to raise your $75. Here are some basic ideas: babysitting, facebook or social media pushes, selling baked goods, selling bracelets, offering to drive people places for $5.
What if I have a time conflict with part of event day?
Not a problem. We need to know about this as far in advance as possible and then we can assign you a shift that will also fit in your time schedule. Note: we can not guarantee this if you let us know in the week before Event Day.
What do we do at event day besides shop?
How long is event day?
You wrap gifts, hang out and play games with your mentees, and get a breakfast/lunch.
As a mentor you will be assigned a 4 hour shift. You are not going to be there the entire day because we have multiple shifts of groups.
What does being a mentor entail?
Besides actual event day, mentors have to raise $75 for their kid to shop with. Mentors also have to attend a roughly 1 hour mentor training the week before event day. If any mentors want to be more involved in the inner workings of SWAB before event day, always feel free to contact us.
Do I get to pick the kid that I am assigned to?
We will assign your mentee on event day.
Can I pick my time slot for event day?
Yes! We started implementing mentor shift preferences last year and it was a success! We cannot guarantee you the shift you choose but, close to Event Day you will have the opportunity to rank your best options.
What if I can’t make mentor training?
We will host a zoom for those that cannot make the in person time. But it is a mandatory part of being a mentor.
If I raise more than $75, does the kid that I shop with get to spend more money?
No, we want every kid to have the same fair experience on event day. But, when you raise more money, it allows us to invite more kids to the event.
Am I guaranteed to mentor a Spanish speaking child or a child with a disability if I am interested in doing so?
No, this is not a guarantee, because we do not know how many mentors will sign up with these experiences.
Do I need to drive to and from event day?
You need to drive to the event day venue itself, but we provide transportation to and from Walmart.