You should be post college age and looking to advance your career.

You need to be employed fulltime. (You can’t “save” money if you are not employed and that is our main goal).

You need to be willing to be respectful of the homeowner who is offering this great opportunity.

The goal of the program is to save 6 months Emergency Savings. If you already have that Emergency Savings saved, we would need to know your plans for the money that you will save (to be sure it matches with our mission). You are encouraged to still apply.

You need to be responsible to maintain your living space in the house as explained by the homeowner.

You must agree to save the money each month (in a bank affiliated with the C2A program) and be willing to submit proof of the current savings account balance with the C2A program each month.

We hope to provide some educational workshops on financial literacy. We want you to “save” this money!

You must be fully vaccinated against Covid and show proof to C2A staff.

You will be interviewed by C2A staff where you can ask questions and determine if C2A is a good fit for your current life phase.

You must clear all background checks explained in the application process. (No criminal record)

You must make a list of any specific requests that are important to your specific needs to share with the homeowner. C2A will provide more general rules to Participants and Homeowners that should cover most areas. Review that list when it arrives.

The Homeowner is providing this opportunity for 6 months in good faith. The Homeowner does though have the right to end the agreement early (after meeting with you and C2A staff). This is unlikely to happen as long as everyone is following the agreed upon guidelines of shared space but personal issues on the homeowner’s side could require a change. (i.e.: change in health of homeowner, change in the people living in the home). Again, unlikely but they have the option. C2A will work to assist however we can.

#1 thing ….Thank YOU! What you are considering is so generous, helpful and needed.

Your home should be in the Arvada Colorado area.

You should have a bedroom and bathroom that can be used exclusively by the C2A Participant.

You should be comfortable letting the participant come and go as his/her work and life activities warrant.

You are providing the Participant with a great opportunity of free housing for 6 months. There is no financial benefit for the homeowner or any payment for this opportunity. There are no work requirements for the participant in or around the house (beyond maintaining their personal living space and other areas of the house they utilize).

You must be willing to be interviewed by C2A staff to ask questions and see if this is a good fit. .

You must allow a site visit to your home by C2A staff.

You must make a list of any specific rules that are important to your specific needs and/or your home maintenance. C2A will provide more general rules to participants and Homeowners. Review that list before making your own.

You will meet with the participant and they will tour the house before you or they make a final decision.

You will need to comply with a background check (No Criminal Activity).

Mentors are basically like having another person in your corner.

Adult life can be a lot! Especially when you are just starting out on your own.

Research is clear, working with a Mentor is the shortcut to progress. Mentors have been shown to help Mentees avoid some potholes and mistakes.

Where do you find a Mentor? It can be hard. That is why we launched this program!

Some people find Mentors at work. (great) Others have relatives that are available add can listen and advise without judging or steering. (also great)

How is Community Based Mentoring different from work based or relative based mentoring? First, our Mentors have no direct authority over you, nor do we want too! Your life….your choices! Our Mentors are trained to “listen” to your goals and obstacles. We might not have direct experience in your situation but we have found that just be sharing your thoughts with someone … you will begin to define the goal/obstacle … and see a path forward.

The Mentor might ask questions to better understand. They might even throw some suggestions on the table for you to think about. It will be totally up to you to determine the path you want to take. At the next session the Mentor will mostly ask questions like, What did you decide? Did you try it? How did it go?

Mentors are basically another person in your corner. You are not directly accountable to them. This makes them safe to explore options with and a safe place to make mistakes.

Try…fail…try again…no judgement just help.

How will you know if your Mentor will be a good fit? You won’t at first. Before you commit you will start with a phone call or meet for coffee.

C2A will provide training on how to get the most out of the Mentor/Mentee experience. We will provide some tips and help you set up guidelines that work for you. We will also be training the Mentors on best practices.

The Mentee is in the driver’s seat of this program. You decide if it’s a good fit (potentially helpful) You decide to continue, stop or perhaps request another Mentor option. All fine options!

To request a Mentor from C2A all that is required is that you live in the Arvada area, be at least 18 years old and be earnest about looking to grow into the life you imagine for yourself.

Mentor relationships can last one month or years. You decide if the experience is working for you.

#1 thing …. Thank YOU! The time you will share by reaching back to assist a younger neighbor navigate their path is ….well, AMAZING!

You don’t have to have any special characteristics, accomplishments or specific knowledge.

By agreeing to be a Mentor you are mostly agreeing to be an active and engaged listener.

We are looking for good humans, with some years of life experiences that are willing to listen, share experiences and mostly encourage/cheer for their mentee as they navigate life.

You might be a mentor for a month or for years if you choose. We suggest you participate for at least one month. (at least 2 meet-ups). After that you can both decide if this is a good fit.

C2A will provide Mentor Training and answer your questions. It might be new to you but we can assure you it’s much easier than you think. If you “care” - you are going to be great at this!

Mentoring is mostly about discussing goal setting, helping set up a plan of action and checking in to see how the plan is going. The Mentee is the one who drives the agenda. You listen, suggest, support and cheer.

This is not therapy. This is talking about life and how to advance toward goals. You won’t be asked to provide services that you are not comfortable with. And you will receive training on how to refer/direct your mentee should they need to navigate something that needs expertise. Your C2A contact person will be available to assist as well.