Mentors & Models

A Mentor provides family-centered, home based educational opportunities for caregivers with deaf or hard of hearing children. The focus is on language development centered on the child’s needs, early literacy, and bridging deaf and hearing experiences for culturally diverse families with children birth to six years of age. Adults who are deaf or hard of hearing provide a unique perspective that benefits hearing parents to know.

Our Mentors and Snapshots providers are trained by the SKI-HI Institute and utilize SKI-HI Mentor Program and Snapshots Curricula.​

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• A Deaf or Hard or Hearing Mentor is a professional who is trained to help families who are raising a child who has been newly identified as deaf or hard of hearing. They teach families to understand and navigate the experience of functioning with a differing hearing level within a hearing world.

 

• They are trained in early intervention principles and receive ongoing professional development.

 

• As a deaf or hard of hearing adult themselves, they are uniquely qualified to share positive perspectives of the deaf experience.

 

• A Deaf or Hard of Hearing Mentor is both a role model and a language model.

 

• They help families have effective communication with their deaf child, and they provide insight about social and emotional development.

 

• They may be actively involved in the Deaf community and can direct families to Deaf events where they can become involved, in order to foster mutual support and enjoyment.

 

• They are kept abreast of current trends, research, and discussions pertaining to best practices.

 

• They understand both the joys and challenges of raising a deaf or hard of hearing child.