The concept evolved from the character of Mentor in Homer’s Odyssey – a fact you can now pass along in the best mentoring fashion – and in its current form impacts the lives of millions of school children every day across the country. Most mentors will tell you that it impacts equally on their own lives. It is a relationship that often expands beyond that of just teacher/student. It’s a sharing of life lessons and laughter and the simple pleasures of ordinary days.
Last November, First Lady Michelle Obama launched a mentoring program at the White House; January was the 9th annual National Mentoring Month. So, you know, it’s officially a very big deal.
First Lady Michelle Obama welcomes 20 high school girls into the White House mentoring program.
There are programs in almost every community in every state in the US. Plug your zipcode into the search form at www.mentoring.org and you’ll probably be taken aback at the number of programs in your ‘hood. What won’t surprise you is that there are always more children in need of mentors than there are volunteers. How is that possible when you’re all so smart? You have all that experience and all that info you’re always posting on Facebook and Twittering about. Why would you keep all that brilliance to yourself? Why not give it a try?
Big Brother Big Sisters is the largest and best-known mentoring program in the country.
Communities in Schools provides a variety of services and programs to local schools, including a diverse mentor program.
The National Metoring Partnership (they’re the ones with the zip code based program finder) was founded 20 years ago and advocates for mentoring initiatives nationwide.
Looking for ideas that are a little more specific? Howzabout…
Kids Making It in Wilmington, NC, was started in 1994 and teaches woodworking to kids as a way to build “instilling patience, pride, perseverance, confidence, teamwork and self-esteem.” Oh, and they’re building really cool stuff, too.
Reel Grrls in Seattle, WA, runs filmmaking-related workshops for teenage girls covering skills such as animation, cinematography, and script writing.
Computer Mentors Group in Tampa, FL, provides computer literacy training and technology access to underprivileged young people and their families.
If none of this is hitting your sweet spot, then feel free to start your own mentoring program. Start here to learn about how you can change a kid’s life.
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Tags: Big Brothers Big Sisters, Communities in Schools, community, Computer Mentors Group, Kids Making It, mentor, mentoring, Michelle Obama, National Mentoring Month, National Mentoring Partnership, Reel Grrls, volunteering
