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What is Mentoring?. Mentoring is the presence of a caring individual(s) who provides a young person with support, advice, friendship, reinforcement and constructive role modelling over time. You don’t have to be superhuman.
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What is Mentoring? • Mentoring is the presence of a caring individual(s) who provides a young person with support, advice, friendship, reinforcement and constructive role modelling over time.
You don’t have to be superhuman • Many people think it takes special skills or accomplishments to be a mentor. • Mentors come from all walks of life. • What mentors have in common is the desire to make a positive difference in the life of a young person.
Benefits of Mentoring • Positive impact on school attendance, social skills, attitude and behaviour with friends and family. • Helps prevent involvement in alcohol, drugs and crime.
Mentoring is Powerful • Mentoring is a powerful way of supporting a young person by teaching skills, listening to their perspectives and fostering in them a sense of belonging.
Without Mentors… In a school board in western Canada: • 100% correlation between students dropping out of school in Grade 10 and not having a caring relationship with an adult at school.
Statistical Support for Mentoring • Making a Difference An impact study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters (1995) Children and youth with mentors experienced: • 46%less involvement in substance use • 70%less substance use in African American youth • 33%reduction in violent behaviour • 50%reduction in school truancy • significant improvement in school performance and interactions with parents
Mentoring is Rewarding You don’t have to be superhuman to be a mentor, but you can feel like it.
Mentoring is Rewarding There is a waiting list of young people in Alberta looking for a mentor. What are you waiting for?
How to Get Involved! • Lots of ways to be a mentor: in a school, a formal mentoring program or informally as opportunities present themselves! • You don’t have to invest a lot of time. • A formal mentoring option can be tailored for your schedule.
Alberta Mentoring Partnership • AMP is a partnership of government ministries, government-funded organizations, community agencies and youth representation working together to provide more mentoring opportunities for Alberta’s children and youth.
AMP’s Vision Every child who needs a mentor has access to a mentor.
Conclusion Together, we have to ensure children and youth are properly cared for in society, have positive adult mentors in their lives, and are raised in safe, nurturing families.