Director of Mentor Training, Learning & Safeguarding Development (Volunteer)

Mentor A Promise is a New York City–based nonprofit serving children and youth (ages 5–18) experiencing housing instability, grounded in the belief that every child is a Promise—full of potential, dignity, and possibility. We deliver consistent, high-quality programming across mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, and creative expression in shelters, schools, and community spaces, creating structured environments where students can grow, be seen, and build lasting skills. Through signature experiences like The Imagination Studio, The Kitchen Table, The Sound Lab, and The Story Space, we nurture academic development, emotional well-being, and creative voice, all within a trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and accessibility-centered framework. Our work prioritizes dignity-protective storytelling, consent-driven engagement, and deep community partnership, ensuring that how we serve is as intentional as whom we serve. We are not only addressing immediate needs - we are building pathways to confidence, belonging, and long-term opportunity, so every child has the support and foundation to carry their promise forward.

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Director of Mentor Training, Learning & Safeguarding Development (Volunteer)

PromiseLearning | Mentor Training, Learning Systems & Safeguarding Infrastructure

Organization Mentor A Promise (MAP)

Division PromiseLearning

Location Remote / Hybrid

Type Volunteer Leadership Role

Reports To Chief of Education

Works Closely With Mentor Training & Instructional Support, SEL Teams, PromiseShield, Program Leadership, Creative Teams, and Education Operations

About Mentor A Promise

Mentor A Promise (MAP) is a New York City–based nonprofit supporting children and youth ages 5–18 experiencing housing instability through mentorship, literacy, social-emotional learning, creative expression, and community-centered programming.

At MAP, we believe

Every child is a Promise.

Our work is rooted in trauma-informed practice, dignity-centered engagement, accessibility, safeguarding, and the belief that safe and caring relationships help create pathways toward belonging, confidence, and opportunity.

Through PromiseLearning, MAP develops educational, mentorship, and youth development systems designed to support students, families, schools, shelters, and communities.

About PromiseLearning | Education, Mentorship & Youth Development

PromiseLearning is MAP’s education and youth development division responsible for mentorship systems, literacy, SEL, instructional innovation, and educational programming.

The division works to build learning environments and support systems that are

• Trauma-informed
• Accessible
• Relationship-centered
• Developmentally thoughtful
• Grounded in safety and belonging
  
  

PromiseLearning seeks to strengthen not only what young people learn—but how they are supported while learning and growing.

Role Overview

Mentor A Promise is seeking a mission-driven and highly collaborative Director of Mentor Training, Learning & Safeguarding Development to help build and operationalize The Mentor Promise System—MAP’s mentor training, safeguarding, and professional development ecosystem.

This leadership role helps shape the future of how mentors are

• Prepared
• Trained
• Supported
• Protected
• Equipped to mentor safely and effectively
  
  

The Director will support development of

• The Mentor Promise Guide
• The Mentor Promise Training Academy
• Facilitator and trainer resources
• Mentor certification and readiness pathways
• Scenario-based safeguarding tools
• Mentor support and professional development systems
  
  

This is a training systems and organizational infrastructure role focused on learning, safeguarding, and mentor excellence.

This work sits at the intersection of

• Education
• Youth Development
• Instructional Design
• Safeguarding
• Training
• Organizational Development
  
  

This is a rare opportunity to help build foundational systems that may shape mentor culture and youth experience at MAP for years to come.

Core Responsibilities

Mentor Learning Infrastructure

Support development and implementation of

• Mentor onboarding systems
• Mentor training curriculum
• Training academy modules
• Learning pathways
• Mentor certification and readiness systems
• Volunteer learning workflows
  
  

Help create systems that are clear, practical, scalable, and mentor-centered.

Safeguarding & Youth Protection Systems

Help strengthen

• Mentor safeguarding standards
• Crisis response guidance
• One-on-one mentoring rules
• Digital safety and youth protection practices
• Ethical mentoring boundaries
• Risk-aware mentor guidance systems
  
  

Support development of systems that prioritize youth safety and responsible mentorship.

Training & Facilitation Design

Support creation of

• Workshop materials
• Facilitation guides
• Training activities and roleplays
• Reflection tools
• Mentor exercises
• Learning assessments
• Practice and coaching systems
  
  

Help ensure training experiences remain engaging, accessible, and implementation-ready.

Research & Best Practice Development

Conduct and synthesize research involving

• Youth mentoring best practices
• Trauma-informed practice
• Child safeguarding
• Volunteer training systems
• Digital mentoring and online safety
• SEL and youth development
• Learning and nonprofit training models
  
  

Recommend evidence-informed and mission-aligned approaches.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Collaborate with

• PromiseLearning leadership
• Mentor Training & Instructional Support
• SEL and Youth Development teams
• PromiseShield safeguarding teams
• Content and creative contributors
• Education and operations leadership
  
  

Participate in development, review, refinement, and implementation.

Qualifications

We welcome applicants from diverse backgrounds.

Helpful experience may include

• Education
• Instructional design
• Curriculum development
• Psychology or counseling
• Human Resources or learning & development
• Social work
• Youth development
• Nonprofit leadership
• Child safeguarding
• Training or facilitation
• Writing or policy development
  
  

Strong candidates often demonstrate

• Exceptional communication
• Systems thinking
• Research ability
• Emotional intelligence
• Collaboration
• Leadership
• Commitment to youth wellbeing and ethical practice
  
  

Lived experience and nontraditional pathways are valued.

Why This Role Matters

Many organizations recruit mentors.

Far fewer intentionally build mentorship systems grounded in

• Safety
• Trauma-informed practice
• Accessibility
• Belonging
• Ethical boundaries
• Reflective learning
• Professional preparation
  
  

This role helps build the foundation of how mentors learn, grow, and serve at Mentor A Promise.

The systems developed through this work may shape mentor culture and youth experience for years to come.

This is mission infrastructure with lasting impact.

Commitment

Volunteer leadership role

Approximately 5–10 hours per week

Minimum 6-month Commitment Required

Remote / hybrid collaboration

What You’ll Gain

• Leadership experience building mentor learning and safeguarding systems
• Opportunity to shape MAP’s Mentor Promise ecosystem
• Collaboration across education, safeguarding, and program leadership teams
• Portfolio-building systems and instructional design experience
• Professional references and letters of recommendation
• Meaningful impact supporting mentor preparation and youth safety
  
  

How to Apply

Interested candidates should apply directly through Idealist and submit

• Resume
• Cover letter or statement of interest
  
  

Please share relevant experience involving

• Training or curriculum development
• Mentorship or youth development
• Safeguarding or education
• Facilitation or instructional design
• Nonprofit or learning systems
  
  

Help build the systems behind strong mentorship.

Because safe, prepared, and supported mentors help create stronger futures for children and youth.

This role holds the pieces together.

From research to outreach to execution—help ensure every mentor is fully prepared before they serve.

Thank you for your interest in volunteering with our organization. At this time, volunteer opportunities are limited to individuals based in the United States due to legal, safeguarding, data-privacy, and programmatic requirements. We appreciate your interest in our mission and your understanding of these constraints.