WHY MENTORSHIP

Friendships that Redefine Worth

Our mentors are the heart and soul of Priceless. Offering all the necessary services needed to start a new life away from trafficking is important, but we have learned that services are only as effective as the survivor’s ability to see themselves as someone who matters and is worth friendship. Often our mentors are the first person in a long time who is not paid to be there. Think about it—imagine if everyone you interacted with once you are recovered from trafficking is a case manager, police officer, judge, social worker, or doctor. You might feel more like a project or a problem than a person. Mentors offer friendship, and this is foundation of communicating value and worth.

Our mentors can be found taking their new friends shopping, out to dinner or coffee, on long walks with the dogs, to the movies, and anything else to breathe life and hope into dark places. Mentors teach healthy boundaries and provide a good sounding board. We have often heard it said from our survivors that time spent with their mentor is the first time they have laughed or felt safe in a long time.
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It is this powerful relational connection that sets Priceless apart from other service providers. In the safety of a new friendship, trust is born and healing can begin with the best chance of being sustained over the long haul.
"Priceless came into my life through a friend. I could not believe that anyone really wanted to help, but they did. They asked for nothing in return. I couldn’t believe this was all real. They saved my life, these women I did not even know. They cared about me and my future and showed me a way out. My life is forever changed."
– Priceless Survivor

From Alone to a Community of Three

Each survivor is paired with a team of two mentors. This mentor team represents the first taste of healthy community and will walk with their mentee through the ups and downs of walking in health and healing. 

​These new “communities of three” also have a case manager and perhaps a counselor involved as needed. Mentors ensure that a good plan is followed, but beyond that, they do not counsel or take part in the clinical recovery side of life. Our mentors are regular women who have a heart to stand with survivors in healthy relationship. They represent a taste of normalcy, consistency, and fun during the recovery journey.
"What I gained were two individuals who scared me to death with the goodness of their hearts. They saved my life. We started off simple with once-a-week coffee dates and talking. Somewhere in me, I had always dreamed to be just like them. These two women saved my life by taking the time and patience to understand me and offer complete love."
– Priceless Survivor

Becoming a Mentor

The first step to becoming a mentor is Engage training, led by Love Alaska. Because the mentor's role is to model healthy boundaries and community, this training focuses on the mentor’s personal spiritual development first and trauma-informed training second.

We also provide a Mentorship 101 training for new mentors in our program, as well as ongoing equipping trainings and team development events throughout the year.