FAQs on working with students in the Imagining Your Future Program

Imagining Your Future (IYF) is a program sponsored by The Harraseeket Foundation. These FAQs are for those interested in the possibility of volunteering to support the program, either as “guides” or as “mentors.” (See “What is Required of Volunteers?” below for a description of guides and mentors.)

Want to chat with us about it? Complete the form linked here and we’ll be in touch!

ABOUT THE HARRASEEKET FOUNDATION

  • The Harraseeket Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit whose mission is to help young people imagine their future. (Harraseeket – an Abanaki name, pronounced “hair-a-SEEK-it” –  is the name of a beautiful harbor in Maine.) See www.harraseeketfoundation.org 

    Harraseeket was founded on the belief that young people need intergenerational connections and support to better understand and explore their options for the future, and that community organizations are a great source for providing it. 

  • Since 2017, Harraseeket has been building programs to help hundreds of young people imagine their future, in Northern Virginia schools, faith communities, and nonprofits. We emphasize supporting underserved students. For example, at Herndon High School, where we’ve operated programs since 2022, 70% of the students are minorities and a majority participate in the free and reduced lunch program.

    This year, we are developing a curriculum at Herndon High School that can be offered to a wide variety of community organizations (schools, employers, nonprofits, faith communities, clubs, and community groups) that are interested in supporting young people. 

    Read more about our 2025-26 plans for the Imagining Your Future Program: Signpost Issue #30

ABOUT THE IMAGINING YOUR FUTURE PROGRAM

  • Imagining Your Future is a mentoring and youth development program offering high school students a unique opportunity to engage with adult volunteers who will help the students imagine their lives after high school using a curriculum we’ve developed, while encouraging at-work learning experiences to help them act on what they imagine.

    We sometimes refer to “Imagining Your Future” as IYF.

  • At its core, IYF is  a mentoring program. But there’s much more to IYF than that.

    It offers students a structured, detailed curriculum for volunteers to work with students in “life mentoring” and “career mentoring” over the course of the school year, while tracking progress and growth throughout the program. These topics facilitate and encourage deeper conversations and connections. 

    IYF also creates opportunities for encouraging and helping students to learn about and experience the workplace. Our “design thinking” approach offers students feedback on the paths they imagine, and opportunities to make adjustments and try new things. For more on the impact of this type of learning, see www.harraseeketfoundation.org/impact-of-internships.

    IYF is about the "whole student" -- more than just work and careers. Conversations extend to value systems, obligations to self and others, choices we make about living in service to the world, and how who we are translates into how we choose to live our lives.

    Also, IYF offers volunteers flexibility. You can choose the frequency and scope of commitment to fit your schedule and interests.

  • The curriculum consists of a series of exercises that, over the course of the year, take students on a progressive journey of “life mentoring” and “career mentoring.” The curriculum is divided into three pillars of “who, what and how” exercises:  

    The first pillar helps students assess who they are.

    The second pillar helps student ask “What do you imagine?” 

    The third pillar helps students figure out how to get there. 

    The diagram at the bottom of this section shows the 3 pillars. 

    The diagram at the bottom of this section illustrates these three pillars.

  • The primary focus over the next year will be at Herndon High School, where IYF will be offered to two groups of students:

    • A 10th grade home room (teacher advisory) of about 25 students, and 

    • A group of up to 40 students in the College Partnership Program, which supports students from populations that are historically underrepresented on college campuses. 

    We plan to expand to additional locations over time.

Diagram illustrating IYF’s three pillars: Who, What, and How.

WHAT IS REQUIRED OF VOLUNTEERS?

  • There are two ways volunteers can engage with students:

    As “guides,” working with small groups of students in workshops on curriculum exercises, usually with another guide.

    As “mentors,” meeting with students 1-on-1, either in person and/or by video.

  • Guides will meet with each group of students (teacher advisory class  and College Partnership Program) in workshops, each once a month (not on the same day) from 9:45-11:15am. The dates for all the meetings throughout the year will be posted ahead of time so volunteers can sign up for the dates they are available. 

    Mentors will meet 1-on-1 with their student for 30 minutes per session, at least one in person each month, either during or after school hours as agreed with the student. Meetings can be at the school or, with parent/guardian permission, off school grounds in a public place like a coffee shop. The second monthly meeting may be by video. 

    Mentors are invited to join the workshops if they wish. You can be both a guide and a mentor.

  • Guides provide a little more flexibility and require less training. In contrast, serving as a mentor builds a trusting relationship on an individual basis with confidentiality and long-term continuity. Some might choose to try being a guide for a few sessions and then sign up to be a mentor. We’re happy to discuss this with you!

  • Guides (who meet with students in small groups) will be briefed ahead of each monthly session on a 30-minute Zoom. We’ll record the Zoom meeting for anyone who can’t make a session. No additional training is required for guides.

    Being a mentor involves more, because they meet with students 1-on-1. Mentors attend a training program by Fairfax County Public Schools and by Harraseeket, totaling about 2 hours. Additional continuing education sessions are available for those interested.

    Mentors are screened and fingerprinted.

    Under new FCPS rules, guides who attend multiple workshops may need to register online and be fingerprinted. A guide who attends only one workshop may not need to register or be fingerprinted.

    Fingerprinting will be available at one of several nearby locations.

    FCPS guidance on these requirements is being developed.

WHAT KIND OF VOLUNTEERS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?

  • Our guides and mentors are from a wide range of careers, backgrounds, and interests. We strive to engage volunteers from all backgrounds, cultures, genders, and ages.

    You don't need an “impressive” job or career. Any adult with a little wisdom and experience, with our training and ongoing support, can become a great guide/mentor! Really, the most important attribute is to CARE. 

    We are particularly interested in recruiting multiple mentors and guides from community organizations and groups.

  • Having two or more mentors participate from an organization or group enhances opportunities for supporting and inspiring each other. While supporting students is rewarding, it comes with challenges. Feeling supported by other members of the community organization or group improves the duration, quality, and creativity of relationships!

  • Community organizations can include faith communities, nonprofits, employers, clubs, or groups of friends.

WHY VOLUNTEER?

  • Because it changes lives—the student’s life, and yours. Being a guide or mentor:

    • Helps a student interpret and manage life’s challenges, including relationships beyond family.

    • Opens a student’s eyes to education, training, and career possibilities they have yet to consider.

    • Provides confidence and connections to explore new paths.

    • Boosts cognitive skills and builds empathy, curiosity, resourcefulness, and resilience.

    • Fosters students’ ability to manage emotions and impulses.

    • Provides intergenerational access to the wisdom and experience of nonjudgmental adults.

  • Feedback from our volunteers over the years are linked here. Here are just a few examples:

    ➢ “I have thought time and again how important it is for EVERY young person to have a supportive environment to have deep, no pressure self discovery conversations. It is often too late in our lives that we realize we don't have to run the same "race" as everyone else in life, but can be happier if we are intentional about the path we choose for ourselves. Harraseeket helps bring that conversation forward in the lives of young people and allows them to arrive at their own conclusions informed by open ended questions and discussions with mentors who are at different phases of that journey themselves. – A Harraseeket mentor

    Volunteers tell us they often benefit more than the students!

    ➢ I understood the need immediately– at certain times in life it is essential to have a guiding hand from a caring adult. What was not clear until after my experience with mentoring was that I was also blessed in the process. We need to give of ourselves in meaningful ways to make life meaningful; and mentoring is a great way to bless and be blessed. Give it a try!” – A Harraseeket mentor

    Volunteers who have mentored in public high schools like Herndon HS also have been mostly enthusiastic. It has sometimes been more challenging for some volunteers when students don’t engage, which can happen in mentoring programs! 

    Our new IYF program responds to suggestions we received from last year’s Herndon HS volunteers, particularly by ensuring more regular attendance  and engagement by IYF students. We’ve found that students who get to know the volunteers engage much more. 

    The new IYF program makes that happen. You can read more about the improvements in our new IYF  program here: Signpost Issue #30

  • Students and other mentees have been enthusiastic. See their comments, linked here. For example:

    ➢ “My ... conversations with my mentor were incredibly organic, supportive, and fun. I learned a valuable perspective from her, that career paths aren’t always linear and are often enriched by your openness to opportunities. I intend to carry this with me on my career journey, and have greatly enjoyed our newly fostered relationship and correspondence.” – A Harraseeket mentee

    ➢ “My mentor conversations have been really helpful. They’ve suggested some other career paths that I wouldn’t have considered before. I’d been getting career tunnel vision— where I could only picture myself doing a few things— my mentors have helped me break out of that thinking. I’ve returned to job searching with a renewed energy.” – A Harraseeket mentee

  • If you’re nervous, try being a guide in a workshop! You’ll work with other guides and can sign up for a few workshops and see what it’s like. We bet you’ll love the work and want more!

    The workshops operate on sign-ups on SignupGenius, matching your schedule to allow you to sign up for the workshops you can attend. We hope guides will sign up for multiple workshops.

    Being a mentor is a more meaningful responsibility, as students will rely on you to be there for them. Mentors should expect to meet with their students at least twice a month – but on a schedule that works for you and the student, at least once in person.

    As a mentor, you won’t be alone! Mentors benefit from Fairfax County Public Schools and Harraseeket training, a Harraseeket curriculum, continuing education, regular access to Harraseeket advisers, and the support of other mentors.

  • We address a variety of situations in mentor training. Any time you may be unsure of how to handle a specific situation or are looking for ideas to enhance the student’s experience, our mentor leaders will be available to help.

  • You are not alone. Harraseeket leaders are available through email, text, and phone to share their experiences, answer your questions, and provide guidance. We also:

    • Facilitate mentor groups for periodic meetings, as well as being available by text and email.

    • Monitor match relations to identify what’s working and where additional training can lead to more effective relationships.

    • Design, develop, and implement new training on a regular basis and provide opportunities in-person and by video.

    • Provide easy access to best practices from a wide range of mentoring programs and diverse environments around the country.

  • The commitment for our guides is based on their availability, as we operate on voluntary sign-up sessions. The commitment for our mentors is one academic year. 

    We recognize that sometimes challenges arise for mentors. We focus the program on:

    • Avoiding premature closure. Studies indicate that mentoring matches that end prematurely (when mentors do not fulfill their commitment and the mentee’s expectations, and vice versa) are worse than no relationship at all. For many mentees, it can represent one more failed relationship in their lives. Shared expectations are critical.

    • Means of continuing after the academic year ends, if desired. Mutually beneficial relationships frequently continue beyond the initial commitment. It may not fall within the parameters of the formal program, but can still be productive with well-defined parameters. Harraseeket mentor leaders can advise on a wide range of continuation options..

  • Imagining Your Future kicks off at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. But you are welcome to join whenever it is convenient for you!

    Read more about the plans for our new and improved 2025-26 Imagining Your Future Program: Signpost Issue #30

Want to learn more?

Please complete our non-binding interest form, linked below. We’ll be in touch and we will hold information sessions for all interested.