NAP- Neighborhood Alliance of Pawtucket

Shared Living -Mentors

Building Relationships as a mentor together

MENTOR Shared Living

Building relationships, ENHANCING LIVES

In MENTOR's Shared Living, individuals live in a private home which they have selected, with someone with whom they have chosen to live, interact in communities according to their own interests and acquire skills in areas which they identify as being important to them. The flexibility of Shared Living allows services to be individually designed to respond to the specific needs and preferences of the persons being served. The level of support and the intensity of services can then be adapted to meet the individual's changing needs over time.
The foundation of MENTOR's Shared Living model is the unique relationship that develops between the host home provider, known as a "Mentor", and the individual served. It is a relationship based on personal connection and mutual respect. Carefully screened, Mentors are skilled and caring paraprofessionals who help support persons with developmental disabilities achieve their individually chosen goals as members of the community.
Mentors represent a wide variety of racial/ethnic groups, skills, educational backgrounds, neighborhood settings and family arrangements. During recruitment, MENTOR closely considers the personal characteristics of each Mentor in order to offer individuals a pool of Mentors from which to choose the best possible "match."
Every individual is actively involved in planning their daily routine that reflects his or her personal interests and preferences. Individuals are naturally integrated into the Shared Living and regularly participate in family activities. The skills and behaviors learned in the natural home setting of the MENTOR family can then be carried over to activities in the community.
MENTOR's professionally trained Service Coordinator monitors the Mentor home and coordinates the development and implementation of the person's habilitation plan. In this role, the Coordinator develops opportunities for community interaction, identifies and accesses community resources and provides technical assistance to the Mentor. The Coordinator also functions as an important liaison for the individual's family, friends and community, ensuring that the individual is well supported in his or her interaction in these areas.

313 Congress Street Boston, MA 02210 800-947-0071 www.thementornetwork.com