2026 Mentor Volunteer Form

2026 Mentor Volunteer Form
Help shape the future of kids and family media by becoming a mentor! This is your opportunity to share your expertise with passionate professionals, guide the next generation of creators, and gain fresh perspectives that can inspire and enrich your own journey. Together, we can empower a community dedicated to making a meaningful impact on young audiences.

Our matching process aims to create partnerships that benefit both mentors and mentees. Please complete this brief form to help us make the best possible match.

For more information about the Children's Media Association's Mentorship Program, please refer to our webpage here.

Note: By submitting this application, you agree to be bound by Children's Media Association's Standard Terms and Conditions.
Section 1: Basic Applicant Information

Thank you for volunteering to be a mentor. To begin, could you share some details about yourself?
Name*

First NameLast Name
Email Address*
example@example.com
Phone Number*
Please enter a valid phone number.
Pronouns*
Self enter pronoun below:
Country*

United StatesCanadaEnglandOther
Location*

Strret Address

Street Address Line 2

CityState

Zip Code
Your Timezone*
Select your nearest CMA Hub (for local event updates)*
.
Please upload a photo of yourself. (image be used on CMA website/program promotion.*

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Section 2: Program Participation Choice

CMA offers two distinctive mentorship tracks to create more tailored professional development experiences for our members. Please indicate the type of mentoring program for which you'd like to volunteer. (Note: both tracks run for 7 months April-October)
1:1 Mentoring

Personalized mentorship with one mentor paired with one mentee ensures focused guidance and tailored support to foster individual growth and development.

Most pairings meet 1-2 times a month for 1 hour.
Collaborative Mentoring

Collaborative mentorship experience involving one mentor and a small group of mentees (4-6) with a specific focus on a targeted topic or professional area of your choice.

Groups meet once a month, with sessions featuring Mentor-led discussions, guest speakers, or research exploration.

Note: if you select this option, we'll work with you to develop a program guide including your group's focus area, session topics, workshop details, and meeting schedule to share with potential mentees.
Mentoring Program Type*

1:1 MentoringCollaborative Mentoring
Please provide a brief description of topic/theme the Collaborative Mentoring group will focus on.*
If you opt to lead a Collaborative, we will work with you to “workshop” the area of focus and develop a brief description to promote to potential mentees.
Section 3: Your Mentorship Program Goals/Preferences

Mentors and mentees are carefully matched based on their individual goals, interests, and expertise to ensure meaningful collaboration and mutual learning.
Briefly summarize your background in children's media so far.*
For example: I spent 5 years in sprocket development at Spacely's Space Sprockets, and now I am VP of...
What goal(s) do you hope to achieve through this program?*
For example: I want to help a mentee reach their goals in children's media creation, and learn from their unique creative perspective. As someone working in kids' content development, I'm excited to share production knowledge while gaining fresh insights into what truly resonates with young audiences today.
Please describe the key professional knowledge, skill, and experience you're most qualified and eager to share with mentees.
The more specific you are here, the stronger our match can be. Examples include: refining show bibles, providing feedback on portfilios, resume review + Interview prep, offering coaching around networking
Describe your ideal mentee.*
For example: I want a mentee transitioning from a different industry...
At what career level would you prefer your mentee to be?*

College Student (Senior or Grad Student)Early careerMid careerSenior CareerNo preferenceOther
Section 4: Experience & Qualifications

Tell us a little more about your experience and help us get to know you!
Most recent position or title*
Most recent employer*
In what verticals/discipline(s) would you like to mentor?*

Music & Audio (audiobooks, music, podcasts)Interactive (apps, games, online community/development, marketing)Publishing (picture, early reading, YA, author illustrator)Research (research, curriculum)Consumer Products (toys, apparel)Experiential (museum, theater, outreach, engagement)Series & Film (animation, live action, production, post-production, writers, development, voice direction)Other
We love to promote our Mentors (and thank you for all of you time!) To help, please share a link to your socials/website(s).
LinkedIn*
So we can tag you on posts.
Instagram handle
So we can tag you on posts.
Website or Portfolio URL
So we can tag you on posts.
Resume

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Is there someone you think would like to be a mentor that we could reach out to? Please provide their name and email address below.
(or ask them to email us at mentorship@childrensmediaassociation.org to learn more about the program)
The Children's Media Association is thrilled to have you take part in our mentorship program and will be here to support you along the way! Is there anything else we should know?
e.g. Help with scheduling mentor sessions, assistance in selecting session topics, monthly communication with CMA either by phone or email, etc.
STANDARD TERMS AND CONDITIONS NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

By participating in this Program, Program Participants understand and agree that all information and materials disclosed by any Disclosing Party are strictly confidential, and the Receiving Party shall not recreate or share any such disclosed information or materials without the express consent of the Disclosing Party. Program Participants further understand and agree that any and all assistance, ideas, comments, suggestions, guidance, improvements, contributions, critique, or other information provided by any Receiving Party in response to information provided by any Disclosing Party may be used freely by the Disclosing Party without credit or compensation to Receiving Party. Program Participants further understand and agree that Program Participants are not acting under the control or direction of the Children's Media Association, that the Children's Media Association is not responsible for the actions of Program Participants or for ensuring or maintaining the confidentiality of any Confidential Information, and that Program Participants disclose Confidential Information at their own risk. By participating in this Program, Program Participants waive all legal claims and causes of actions against the Children's Media Association and arising from participation in the Program, to the fullest extent permissible by law, and agree to indemnify the Children's Media Association from any and all claims arising out of Program Participants’ participation in the Program.
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