The selfless helping others in need is a primary staple of volunteerism. Enter Jason Hogan, a psychology and studio arts major at CU. As a volunteer youth advocate for the Mental Health Center of Boulder County, or MHCBC, Jason mentors children affected by major mental illnesses or serious emotional disturbances.

Jason's weekly outings with his mentee, or "client" as they are known, always involve a fun activity and exposing the client to something new. Bowling, visiting the zoo, and even a trip to the firehouse station are all activities that Jason and his six-year old client have done together.

"Building a level of trust with the client is very important," says Jason. "Some days the client doesn't feel like talking that much, but other days you can make ground-breaking progress," Jason adds. Jason doesn't think of himself as a therapist, but rather as a big brother. "I don't necessarily talk to my client to figure out his problems. Instead, I just listen and try to be his friend," says Jason.

In addition to his weekly visits with his client, Jason also completes weekly progress notes on his client, attends bi-weekly supervision meetings, and maintains contact with the MHCBC administration. The end goal, of course, is always the successful treatment of the client.

The role of the volunteer youth advocate that Jason plays is consistent with MHCBC's mission of providing an integrated, comprehensive system of community-based mental health services to the residents of Boulder and Broomfield Counties. As a member of the community, Jason provides an invaluable service that helps to furher MHCBC's mission.

In addition to building a layer of trust, Jason has also discovered the need to battle certain preconceived notions with his volunteer position. "People automatically have the mind set that I'm taking care of crazy people. But in fact, the clients are completely normal people who need the same thing we all need-a listening post. That's what I provide," says Jason.

For information about volunteering with the Mental Health Center of Boulder County or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904, or go to our Volunteer Central.