Mentoring...it's good for kids, adults and the community!

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Mentoring ... it’s good for kids, adults and the community!
For teens, adolescence brings tremendous trials and tribulations, especially in terms of their social and emotional development. Mentoring works to ease them through the challenges and changes by providing guidance, compassion and support throughout the process.

Youth are famous for asking the toughest and most sincere questions. Additionally, youth are presented some of the most serious decisions that can affect their healthy and positive development as individuals in the family, at school and in the community. As a mentor, an adult has a positive opportunity to not only look into oneself and one’s experiences, but to also share such insight and wisdom through role modeling, communication and on-going support.

In many communities around the nation, it is not uncommon to see single or small groups of teens ‘hanging around’ with nothing to do. Although youth violence and crime has shown its first signs of decline, it remains an epidemic in our country. According to Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP), “children who meet regularly with a mentor are more likely to stay out of trouble, succeed in school, and achieve their goals.” OJJDP offers JUMP!, a Juvenile Mentoring Program.

Adolescence is not the only milestone in one’s life that presents challenges that may be alleviated through mentorship. Mentoring new teachers not only facilitates effective teaching, but it also works to retain good teachers within the profession. TeachersFirst.com has gathered a set of mentoring resources for teacher interns and first year teachers alike.

Parenting is another role that benefits from mentors. Newborns, toddlers, children, teens – no matter the child’s age, parents face common challenges and dilemmas as they strive to raise their children in the best of possible ways.

Head Start now offers a Parent-Mentor Training Program available in both English and Spanish. Talking About Curing Autism (TACA) is another fantastic example of parents mentoring parents. Their common bond for this organization is that a loved one within the family has Autism. Their efforts are aimed at “building the autism community and helping families affected by autism. We have found that many families new to the autism diagnosis of a loved one, offering a parent mentor can help ease the frustration, navigate the confusing “system” and help jump start the family with ACTION for their child affected by Autism.”

January is National Mentoring Month! Learn more about mentoring opportunities in your community and ask yourself … “How can I participate?”

OJJDP’s JUMP!, a Juvenile Mentoring Program: http://ojjdp.ncjrs.org/jump/index.html
TeachersFirst.com New Teacher Mentor Resources: http://www.teachersfirst.com/new-tch.shtml
Head Start’s Parent-Mentoring Training Program: http://www.headstartinfo.org/partnership/parent-mentor.htm
Talking About Curing Autism (TACA): http://www.tacanow.com/mentor.htm

See more features on mentoring!

Mentor new teachers and inspire them to succeed!
http://hamfish.org/dailies/040107.html

Celebrate a century of mentoring!
http://hamfish.org/dailies/040616.html

Celebrate, Commiserate and Learn with Circle of Parents!
http://www.hamfish.org/dailies/040315.html


Last Updated: January 07 2005 14:30 pm