Skip to content
English
Sign in
Go to vanderburghcommunities.com
  • There are no suggestions because the search field is empty.

👨‍👦‍👦 House Mentorship Overview

This article addresses the fundamentals of House Mentorship in a recovery residence. Articles written for House Mentors are available in the House Mentor Resources section of this Knowledge Base.

 

This article is currently under development

 

👨‍👦‍👦 House Mentors

Add a summary here

Add comments about House Mentor Handbook

Add comments on compensation, length of stay, minimum expectations, and link to HM application

A House Mentor in a sober house is responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operations of the residence and ensuring that the house runs smoothly. Here are some key responsibilities of a House Mentor:

  1. Enforcing house rules: The House Mentor is responsible for enforcing the rules and regulations of the sober house, which may include curfews, chores, and abstinence from drugs and alcohol. The mentor must also ensure that all guests are following these rules to maintain a safe and supportive environment.

  2. Supporting guests in recovery: The House Mentor provides support to guests in their recovery journey, whether it be through encouragement, guidance, or accountability. They may facilitate house meetings or other activities that promote a sense of community and support among guests.

  3. Availability for new guest orientation: The House Mentor is typically responsible for welcoming new guests in the home and conducting orientations.

  4. Conducting drug screens: The House Mentor may be responsible for conducting drug screens for guests to ensure they are maintaining their sobriety.

  5. Conducting room searches: The House Mentor may conduct periodic room searches to ensure that guests are following the house rules and not engaging in any activity that could threaten the safety or sobriety of themselves or others.

  6. Conducting house meetings weekly: The House Mentor may facilitate weekly house meetings where guests can discuss their recovery progress, share their experiences, and offer support to one another.

In summary, the role of a House Mentor in a sober house is to oversee the daily operations of the residence, enforce house rules, support guests in their recovery journey, conduct drug screens, conduct room searches, and facilitate house meetings to promote a sense of community and support among guests. They play a crucial role in fostering a safe and supportive environment for individuals in recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Summarize the HM Handbook, show where to find it, etc.

Standards for House Mentors, etc. (link to the House Mentor Policies article)

 

General House Mentor Policies

  • Operator selects House Mentor's room in all circumstances
  • House Mentors may have locks on room doors provided Operator has access

House Mentor orientation availability at Unity Recovery Housing homes

House Mentors at URH Homes are required to be available for at least 20 hours per week to handle guest orientations. Their schedule must be set in advance and communicated to the Intake Team, ensuring that new move-ins can be scheduled smoothly without delays.

  • 20 hours per week of availability for orientations, on various days/times, including time in the afternoons/evenings and/or weekends (this can be flexible)
  • Pre-set schedule documented in the hone's Move-In Availability Window
  • Notification provided by HM to Intake if they need to update their availability
  • Work with senior guests or others in the home to increase availability

 

Alternate House Mentors

Houses can NEVER go without a House Mentor (reason for having multiple. If there is no House Mentor, Operator must live there until one is found. No House Mentor is VERY BAD).

- Senior House Mentor v. House Mentor (not many differences)

- How many guests to HM ratio, etc.

- Different in women's homes?

- Should they share work equally or do different stuff?

Rule of thumb on number of House Mentors

  • 0 to 15 guests: 1 House Mentor
  • 15 to 20 guests: 1 Senior House Mentor, 1 House Mentor (half rent for House Mentor)
  • 20+ guests: 1 Senior House Mentor, 1 House Mentor (both free rent)

 

 

House Mentor Structure

 

House Mentor Agreement

House Mentors must sign the House Mentor Agreement. This agreement supplements the Guest Agreement and details the House Mentor’s additional roles and responsibilities. A template agreement is available in our Forms & Templates.
 
 

 

House Mentor Grievance

If a guest raises a concern about a House Mentor, it should be investigated immediately as you would any guest. House Mentors may be urine screened at any time and are subject to the same restrictions as guests relating to prohibited items. They are subject to search and screening as any other guest, and may be terminated for violating the Guest Agreement.

It is very important that house guests have a private, secure means to communicate any concerns of a Mentor to the house Operator. It is strongly suggested that house guests have access to a phone number for the house Operator.

 

House Mentor Departure

In the event of a House Mentor departure, use careful judgement when communicating with Guests and community members. Don’t rush to fill the position, take your time to find the right fit for your next House Mentor. Ideally most houses should have multiple house Mentors (either one Senior Mentor and a supporting Mentor, or two Senior Mentors depending on the size of the house) Having an additional Mentor in times like this helps eliminate the chance of a house going without any supervision while looking for a new Mentor.

House Mentor departure checklist

  1. Collect all keys from the House Mentor
  2. Change the keypad code
  3. Notify all applicable parties
    1. Guests
    2. Intake Coordinator
    3. Relevant case workers or referral sources
  4. Notify your Operations Manager to remove the House Mentor access to:
    1. Buildium
    2. HubSpot

 

 

  • Add link to House Mentor Handbook in the qualifications section
  • Operator level article

 

House Mentorship

House Mentor Role

See House Mentor Handbook.

House Mentor Qualifications

Minimum Candidate Qualifications

  1. Must be in recovery from substance use disorder*
  2. Must have continued sobriety of a minimum of the past 12 months
    1. Candidates who do not meet this criteria, but have a minimum of 6 months, may be considered for other home leadership roles.
  3. Must have a smartphone available for use in the role
  4. Must be comfortable navigating technology
  5. Current guests interested in House Mentorship must be in good standing with the home
  6. Must commit to serving the home according to Vanderburgh House standards, the House Mentor Handbook, and any additional Operator policies
  7. Must complete House Mentor Training administered by Vanderburgh House

 

Desired Qualifications

  1. Candidate should be prepared to live (or to continue to live) in the home they are mentoring
  2. Ability to navigate conflict resolution
  3. Attention to detail (paperwork, forms, filing, etc.)
  4. Motivational interviewing
  5. Leadership experience and skills

 

* Strong candidates who are not in recovery may be considered on a case-by-case basis

House Mentor Compensation

House Mentors are often provided with free rent as compensation for their contribution. However, Operators may decide to compensate differently, including any of the following:

  • Reduced rent (typically for smaller homes)
  • Monetary compensation (typically for House Mentors who perform additional duties for the Operator and/or live off-site)

Living Arrangement Options

Operators are free to consider different living arrangements for House Mentors.

  • Private Room | Typically, House Mentors receive a private room as compensation for their contribution. This is beneficial for securing guest files, drug screens and other supplies, and an increased level of privacy and independence for the House Mentor.
  • Shared Room | Some Operators chose to have two House Mentors share a room and share responsibilities in their role. This could take the form of a Senior House Mentor and House Mentor each paying half rent, or both receiving free rent.
  • Off -Site | Some Operators employ off-site House Mentors, but this is not typical and not recommended. When this is in place, it is typically with very experienced House Mentors who live very close to the home and visit the home on a daily basis, or multiple times per day.
    • Vanderburgh House must approve all off-site House Mentor arrangements.

 

House Mentor Compensation

Most of the time, Operators will provide House Mentors with a free private room in compensation for their work in the home. This is, by far, the most common structure for House Mentor compensation.

Some House Mentors may agree to take on additional responsibilities voluntarily, receiving only certain perks that may come with an increased level of trust, such as a a later curfew, more liberal allowances for overnights, and an opportunity to gain valuable experience through a closer relationship with the Operator.

Please be aware of employment laws of your state (read our Human Resources guide for more information). You should be aware that many jurisdictions have strict laws regarding employee compensation. We encourage you to familiarize yourself with these laws and follow them. Failure to do so could result in severe penalties.

Our standard policy is to give House Mentors reduced or free rent, depending on their workload. In some rare circumstances, you may be approved to compensate your House Mentor monetarily.

Chartered Operators: It is up to you to decide how to compensate your House Mentors, if at all.

 

 

 

House Mentor Application

  • Put the minimum qualifications on the application.
  • Essay questions
  • Etc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Position Details (for job post, if desired)

The below is a recommended position title and other details. Feel free to adjust as desired.

Position title: House Mentor (live-in) | Sober Living Recovery Community in <city>, <state>

Custom questions to include with the job advertisement:

  1. Please describe your interest in being a House Mentor.
  2. Are you willing to relocate to the recovery community in <city>, <state>?

Position Description

The below is a sample advertisement description. Consider updating it with relevant information, including:

  1. Location of the home
  2. Gender served (please do not make discriminatory statements)
  3. Other pertinent information about your home

Are you in recovery from substance use, looking for a way to give back to the recovery community? Would you consider moving to a structured sober living community in _____, and taking on an important leadership position? If so, read on!

 

About the Position

A House Mentor is the leader of a Vanderburgh House sober living home. House Mentors live in the home and play a significant leadership role in supporting the recovery community, including coaching, encouraging, and supporting Guests. House Mentors lead a weekly house meeting, oversee drug screens, assist with new Guests moving in, and maintain a positive environment in the home.

 

About Vanderburgh House Sober Living

We believe that access to positive, supportive, and recovery-focused housing can change lives and rebuild our communities. We recognize that well-run sober living communities can save lives, and our mission is to operate addiction recovery communities with passion, integrity, and focus on recovery. Vanderburgh House operates peer-lead, certified, and structured sober living communities. Our mission is to build recovery communities where our Guests will be supported in their personal recovery journey. Homes offer structure balanced with independence: an opportunity for all Guests to engage in building a life free from the use of substances. House Mentors conduct weekly house meeting and are responsible for addressing issues as they come up in the home.

 

House Mentor Expectations

This is a live-in position. The expectation for a House Mentor is to be a peer-leader in the recovery home, spending between 8 and 12 hours per week as they are able. A successful House Mentor is strong in their personal recovery, personable and communicates well, able to firmly and fairly enforce rules/guidelines, and is able to responsibly and diplomatically handle interpersonal situations. House Mentors function as coaches, not Mentors. Guests are responsible for themselves, House Mentors do not play a “parent” role, but perhaps more of an advisor and coach. House Mentors must maintain strict sobriety and have a reliable presence in the home to ensure their duties are performed properly.

 

House Mentor Compensation

House Mentors are offered free room and board as compensation for their contribution to the recovery community. House Mentors are encouraged to seek employment outside the home, and are permitted to spend nights outside the home and enjoy limited restrictions. House Mentors have the opportunity to participate in a comprehensive training program developed by a team of recovery professionals. House Mentors are encouraged to seek growth opportunities with Vanderburgh House as well, including a pathway to open their own sober living community.

 

Minimum House Mentor Requirements

  • Must be in recovery from substance abuse
  • Must have currently sustained at least 12 months of sobriety
  • Must live in the recovery community
  • Must have access to a smartphone
  • Strong interpersonal, conflict resolution, and decision-making skills

 

Apply to Become a House Mentor

We encourage you to submit your application through this site, or visit us online and reach out to us directly. Please provide a statement of your intent, as well as a resume. Please highlight your recovery and leadership experience, and your interest in this position.

 

Relocation Assistance

We are happy to provide assistance in relocation to your new recovery community on an as-needed basis. This could include travel and moving costs and other financial assistance moving in to your new home.