I am the parent or guardian of a 5 to 18 year old young person.

This is a place where you and your child will meet experienced people with shared objectives and passions who come from outside of your community (and sometimes from outside your country!).


What is Eldera?

Eldera fosters social-emotional learning through meaningful connections with a wiser generation. Your child’s Eldera mentor is not a tutor, and they will not be following a curriculum. Rather, your child will benefit from the entirety of their life experience, care, and attention. 

“Eldera is a “virtual village” that pairs kids with 60+ mentors for regular meet-ups via Zoom. It’s good for the kids, good for the mentors, and good for the parents of the kids. I’m a mentor myself to a 6 year-old girl from Houston who is terrific. She taught me ballet, shares the books she writes, and I share the one I wrote for kids, we read together, play games, and have just gotten to know each other and care about each other. Along the way, I’ve become friends with her mom, who has her hands full and is so grateful to have another caring adult in her daughter’s life.” - Eldera Mentor

Why is this good for my kid?

Studies have demonstrated that one-on-one attention and time from an adult outside of the family is one of the best ways for a child to develop resilience. With packed classes and remote learning, developing these relationships is even more challenging these days. It is our goal to broaden access to these adults who have time, experience, passion, and generosity to families across the world.

FAQs

  • We provide the environment, tools, and vetting to enable meaningful one-on-one relationships and preserve peace of mind. Mentors are vetted through background checks, interviews, and the onboarding process.

  • At Eldera, we offer a range of membership options. After joining our platform, you have the option to sign up for a free or paid monthly subscription.

    Our free membership allows you to participate in weekly conversations at no cost. This is a great option for those interested in trying out our platform and getting a feel for what we have to offer.

    Our paid monthly subscription offers additional benefits, including access to additional mentors, specialized workshops and events, and more. This option is great for those looking for more personalized support and guidance, or who want to take advantage of all that Eldera has to offer.

    No matter which membership option you choose, Eldera is committed to providing a safe and effective platform for intergenerational connections and personal growth. Join today and discover the power of intergenerational relationships.

  • A matchmaker never reveals her secrets! :)

  • Only the parent or legal guardian of a child under 13 years old can register them to be an Eldera mentee. A young person 13 to 18 years old may sign up with parental / guardian consent and full contact information.

  • Sign up here.

  • Responsiveness with your child’s mentor and with the Eldera team is essential. A parent or legal guardian needs to join the first Eldera conversation with their child and the mentor. We also recommend you as the parent virtually meet with the mentor before your child’s first conversation with his or her mentor. This gives you a chance to share what you are seeking from this experience and allows both of you to set a foundation for this important new relationship. While parents do not need to participate in the regular Eldera conversations, they should have open communication with the mentor and be present as needed for the relationship.

  • Your child should be punctual, respectful, and actively participate in the conversations with their Eldera mentor.

  • We expect you to abide by our values of Generosity, Curiosity, and Gratitude.

  • Most mentors meet with mentees 30-90 minutes once a week, but the schedule and frequency can be adjusted between the parent and the mentor to work around their mutual needs.

  • No, you do not need your own Zoom account to participate in Eldera. You’ll be provided with a password-protected video link that you can use for all of your Eldera Conversations with your mentor.

  • Most participants choose to meet with the same mentor weekly - they form a bond that is good for both of them!

  • When the mentor and mentee are matched, Eldera proposes a time for the first conversation at least 72 hours after you are introduced to your mentor. However, this is just a proposed time. Eldera asks the mentor and parent to confirm a time that works for both of them.

  • We require that a parent be present for the first Eldera conversation with a mentor. After the first conversation, we recommend the parent be around and available should the mentee or mentor have a question.

  • We plan to offer that in the future, but currently the option is one mentor per mentee at a time.

  • Absolutely! Safety is core to Eldera, and we have a two step process for mentors before they join the community. First, Eldera has contracted with a third party to conduct criminal background checks on the mentors before they join the community. Eldera staff also meets with each of the mentors before they are matched with mentees.

  • Yes! Each child will be matched with a different mentor so that they can each develop their own meaningful relationship with a mentor.