Launched in 2002, National Mentoring Month focuses attention on the ongoing the need for mentors, as well as how each of us can work together to help ensure positive outcomes for our young people.
Why is mentoring so important? Mentoring, at its core, guarantees young people that there is someone who cares about them, assures them they are not alone in dealing with challenges, and makes them realize that they matter.
Research confirms that quality mentoring relationships have powerful positive effects on young people in a variety of personal, academic, and professional situations. For example, according to a recent Huffington Post article, the nationally representative survey The Mentoring Effect “found that mentored youth set higher educational goals and are more likely to attend college. These positive outcomes are especially true for “opportunity youth” who are between the ages of 16 to 24 and are neither in school or employed. For example, youth at-risk for becoming disconnected in this way but who have a mentor are 55 percent more likely than those without a mentor to enroll in some type of postsecondary education, such as college or a trade school.”
Ultimately, mentoring provides a young person with personal growth, as well as social and economic opportunity. Yet one in three young people will grow up without this critical asset.
So, what can you do to help? Here are the Top 5 ways to get involved and make a real difference in the life of a child:
- Become a mentor in your community. Big Brothers, Big Sisters in a great place to start!
- Help raise awareness via social media using the hashtag #ThankaMentor #MyMentor
- Get your company involved! Visit the Nationwide Mentoring Community to learn about corporate partnerships.
- Learn more about mentoring. Here are two places to started Effects of Building an Effective Mentoring Organization and Utilizing Research in the Best Ways Possible
- Thank one of your own mentors today.
About Back to Basics Learning Dynamics, Inc. in Nationwide
Back to Basics offers 1-on-1 tutoring in 60+ subjects, professional development, translating and interpreting in 21 languages, speech therapy, occupational therapy, behavior specialists, reading specialists, paras, ELL services, homebound services, RTI support, psycho-educational testing and test prep. We also offer summer school and educational summer camps, original credit and credit recovery, along with unique enrichment options such as music, art and photography. Plus, Back to Basics Private School is Nationwide’s only Department of Education approved 1-on-1 Private School for K-12.
