Legacy or Military Mentor Volunteer at New Jersey Good Grief Camp

Mentor Requirements

To become a Legacy or Military Mentor, you must: 

• Currently serve or have served in the military OR be a military survivor who has graduated from Good Grief Camp.
• Be at least 20 years old (exceptions to age requirement for military personnel and teen survivors are considered) with the energy and stamina necessary to companion a child from early morning to late in the day throughout the event.
• Pass a security background check.
• If applying as a Legacy Mentor, submit a short written response and provide two previous group leaders as references.
• Attend the required training prior to the event.
• Be on time and ready to participate in all camp activities throughout the event.
• Be willing to be a buddy and companion to a child who has lost a loved one in the military.
• Be present while also being cognizant of your own grief and loss of a military friend or family member.
• Show empathy toward children and surviving families as they're grieving.
• Use good judgment when assessing safety for children.
• Set and enforce good boundaries with your mentee.
• Create a safe place and an environment of trust and acceptance for your mentee.
• Identify your mentee’s special needs and/or allergies from the intake form.
• Not fraternize with fellow mentors, mentees, TAPS staff or adult survivors during the event. Your focus should be on your mentee and his or her well-being.
• Intervene when necessary and keep group leaders informed if there are concerns.
• Honor time constraints.
• Follow directions from group leaders and TAPS staff.
• Not partake in alcohol during the event nor let it affect your role as a mentor each day
• Demonstrate good moral and responsible conduct around all children. You shouldn't use profanity, tell “drinking stories,” or make inappropriate comments.
• Be willing to withhold any personal political views as this may complicate the grieving process for children. No anti-war comments will be tolerated.
• Be willing to continue the mentor role throughout the rest of the year for the child’s birthday, special events, or holidays.

Lodging and Transportation

Free parking is available for Good Grief Camp mentors. There is limited lodging available to those who need assistance and are traveling from outside of the area.

How to Register

To register as a military or legacy mentor: 

1. Create a mentor account.
2. Once you've created your account, log back in and complete a background check form.
3. After you receive a confirmation email of a completed background check, log into your account and register for the New Jersey Regional Seminar and Good Grief Camp and any additional programs you're interested in.

For questions about mentoring at Youth Programs event, call 800-959-TAPS (8277) or email mentors@taps.org.