Become A Mentor or Find A Mentor for Your Child Today
By Sharon E. Wilkerson-Gilpin
The phrase, “It takes a village to raise a child,” originates from an African proverb. Its message is that it takes a “village” to nurture children in a safe, healthy environment and to train them in the right way to go. This “village” includes parents, siblings, extended family, neighbors, teachers and community members like mentors.
Benefits of Mentorship
One way to build strong families and communities is through mentorship. So what is mentorship? Mentorship is building a relationship between an elder and younger person where the elder person guides the younger person through difficult times, gives advice and support.
How do mentors and mentorship programs help young people? Studies show mentorship programs help in many ways:
- Increased high school graduation rates
- Lower high school dropout rates
- Healthier relationships and lifestyle choices
- Higher college enrollment rates
- Enhanced self-esteem and self confidence
- Improved behavior, both at home and at school
- Stronger relationships with parents, teachers and peers
- Improved interpersonal skills
- Decreased likelihood of drug and alcohol use
- Strengthens the quality of life of families
Why a Vital Need for Community Involvement and Outreach to Our Youth?
Youth violence in the United States is high, and it shatters lives. TV and newspaper headlines cover breaking news of homicides, suicides and violence involving children and young people nationwide. Between 1980 and 2020, an estimated 72,525 youth under age 18 were murdered in the US, according to the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. Children and young people are experiencing mental health crises at alarming rates worldwide. Globally, one in seven 10–19 year olds experiences a mental disorder, according to the World Health Organization. The World Health Organization also reports:
- Depression, anxiety and behavioral disorders are among the leading causes of illness and disability among adolescents.
- Suicide is the third leading cause of death among those ages 15–29.
Mentors Make a Positive Difference and Fill a Gap
Did you know youth participating in mentoring programs have more academic success in school than youth without mentors? According to Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, littles–young people being mentored– are 20 percent more likely to enroll in college. Students who meet regularly with their mentors are 52 percent less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37 percent less likely to skip a class, a Public/Private Ventures Study of Big Brothers Big Sisters reports.
New studies are showing a decline in the prevalence of mentoring:
- The share of youth ages 18 to 21 who report having had a mentor while growing up dropped six percentage points from 66 percent in 2013 to 60 percent in 2022, according to a 2023 national study led by MENTOR.
- More than 1 in 3 (35 percent) of young adults say they grew up without the support of any mentor, reports The Annie E. Casey Foundation, a foundation focusing on strengthening families, building stronger communities and ensuring access to opportunity.
You can make a positive difference as a mentor. You can also help a young person experience all the positive benefits of mentorship by connecting with a mentorship program in your area.
Learn more about mentorship programs and how you too can make a positive difference in your family and community at the following:
- Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Website: https://www.bbbs.org
- The Mentoring Center
Website: https://www.mentor.org
- Alonesy, a free virtual mentoring program for teens
Website: https://www.alonesy.org