16th Annual TAPS National Military Survivor Seminar
and Good Grief Camp for Young Survivors
Memorial Day Weekend |
May
28
th
-
31
st,
2010
Crystal Gateway Marriott
Jefferson Davis Highway | Arlington Virginia
TAPS GOOD GRIEF CAMP MENTOR REQUIREMENTS Attend ALL scheduled events and functions on time or early! Use good judgment when assessing safety for children. DO NOT Fraternize with fellow mentors, mentees, TAPS staff, or adult survivors during the TAPS weekend. A mentor’s focus should be on their mentee and his/her well-being. Set & enforce good boundaries with your mentee. Identify your mentee’s allergies and/or special needs from the intake form. Intervene when necessary and keep group leaders informed if there are concerns. Honor time constraints. Create a safe place and an environment of trust and acceptance for your mentee. Follow directions from group leaders and TAPS staff. Do not partake in alcohol during the GGC nor let it affect your role as a mentor the next day. Demonstrate good moral and responsible conduct around children/teens of all ages (ex. No profanity, no "drinking" stories, no inappropriate comments). Willing to be a "big brother" or "big sister" to a child who has lost a loved one in the military. Be "present" and "companion" a child/children while cognizant of own grief and loss issues of a military friend or family member. Understand that you may need a break, and it is ok. Understand that the group leaders and TAPS staff are here if you need/want to talk and it will be confidential. Show empathy towards children and surviving family as they are grieving. Willingness to continue the mentor role throughout the rest of the year for the child’s birthday, special events, or holidays. Withhold any personal political views as this may complicate the grieving process for children. No antiwar comments will be tolerated. Alert group leader if there are ANY reasons to be concerned about mentee (i.e. talk of suicide). Complete and pass security background check. Mentors must be at least 20 years old and demonstrate maturity when working with children and following directions. (Exceptions to age requirement are given for military personnel and teen survivors. If you are a teen survivor, please see Teen Mentor Application.)
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