Mentoring Matters: Support National Mentoring Month

January is National Mentoring Month–putting a spotlight on the importance of mentoring relationships. Youth need positive influences in their lives to succeed, and mentoring is a major part of their development.

Check out the rest of the article to learn more about National Mentoring Month, the importance and benefits of mentoring, youth mentoring stories and how you can get involved to ensure youth thrive.

What is National Mentoring Month?

National Mentoring Month aims to raise awareness of the importance of mentoring, recruit mentors and promote mentoring as a whole through celebrating meaningful mentor relationships. According to MENTOR, National Mentoring Month began in 2002 when “MENTOR and the Harvard T.H. School of Public Health created National Mentoring Month to amplify, encourage and strengthen mentorship for young people.” This movement puts a spotlight on mentoring, ultimately showing individuals and communities how one relationship can change a child’s life.

From holding awareness events to recruiting mentors and raising funds for mentoring programs, there are a number of ways to get involved and make a difference. Keep reading to learn more about the importance and benefits of mentoring and how you can support youth this January and beyond.

Importance of Youth Mentorships

Positive influences and role models are crucial for youth development and well-being. Unfortunately, there are many children and teens in need of mentorship. According to MENTOR’s study, “Who Mentored You?,” by Micheal Garringer and Chelsea Benning, about 1.8 mil­lion young adults ages 18 to 24 nationwide ​“not only didn’t have a men­tor but couldn’t nom­i­nate any­one that they felt was a mean­ing­ful per­son” in their lives. The study also found that youth living in poverty or rural areas were less likely to have mentors than those in higher income households and urban communities. This disparity of mentorship access shows the great need for mentors in low-income and rural communities.

Whether youth engage in mentoring through community programs or connect with a mentor informally, the most important part is having someone there providing support and guidance. Having a positive relationship with mentors helps provide youth with a sense of belonging and security. There are a number of benefits mentoring brings as seen below.

Benefits of Youth Mentorships

Youth with mentors experience life-long benefits from the relationship. Many mentors and mentees even stay connected as children grow into adulthood, continuing to influence and guide them as they navigate life changes.

According to youth.gov, youth who experience a mentoring relationship have:

  • “Increased high school graduation rates
  • Lower high school dropout rates
  • Healthier relationships and lifestyle choices
  • Better attitudes about school
  • Higher college enrollment rates and higher educational aspirations
  • Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence
  • Improved behavior, both at home and at school
  • Stronger relationships with parents, teachers and peers
  • Improved interpersonal skills”

All of these benefits set youth up for better quality of life through education, mental health well-being and social well-being. Mentors also can help provide new experiences youth otherwise may not have access to. This not only helps mentors and mentees bond, but it also helps youth grow outside their comfort zone and find new interests.

Mentors also experience benefits from their mentorships. Being able to see the world from a child’s perspective helps mentors gain a new perspective for the little things in life. Mentors also experience increased self-esteem and a sense of accomplishment as youth.gov explains. Knowing they are impacting someone else’s life provides a new sense of purpose, motivating mentors to continue to give their time to support their mentees.

Support Mentoring and Make a Difference

You can positively impact a child’s life. Whether you become a mentor, advocate for youth in need or donate to mentoring programs, you can help ensure all youth have access to vital mentoring programs.

January is National Mentoring Month, which is the perfect time to get involved. Learn more about the opportunities at TrueNorth Community Services to make a difference in your community this month and beyond.

TrueNorth’s Opportunities

At TrueNorth Community Services, we offer three mentoring initiatives in our TrueMentors program. Each program offers unique experiences for children who can participate in any or all of the programming opportunities listed below.

TrueBlue Academy

TrueBlue Academy is a partnership between TrueNorth Community Services, local school districts and police departments. This small group mentoring program provides learning and growth opportunities for students in Newaygo and White Cloud Public Schools.

Student named Aiden wearing a blue sweatshirt, outside. - TrueBlue Academy. TrueMentors
Aiden Grows into His Best Self at TrueBlue Academy

For fourteen-year-old Aiden, having the extra support from TrueBlue Academy has had a positive impact on his life. “I feel more confident in myself as a person in general. It’s more easy to go out and talk to people,” says Aiden about his time at the program.

Aiden is a part of the program that operates in partnership with White Cloud Public School where he attends the program once a week during the school day. The program is run by TrueNorth staff with help from the school’s Resource Officer, Kyle Rasch.

Being able to build relationships with Aiden and the other kids has been his favorite part of the program. “They don’t look at me like a police officer, they look at me as a friend and somebody they can talk to and come to for advice,” says Officer Rasch. “To hear him [Aiden] actually say how it got him to open up to other kids and made him more confident, like that’s the most rewarding part.”

Knowing he can come to Officer Rasch at TrueBlue Academy and throughout the school day has given Aiden the extra support he needs to succeed. Not only has Officer Rasch been a positive role model for Aiden, but Aiden sees him as a friend and person to go to when he needs help.

TrueMentors’ Community Mentoring

For TrueMentors’ Community Mentoring, Newaygo County youth are matched with volunteer mentors in a one-on-one mentoring relationship. Matches are based on similar interests, geographic location and similar goals.

Mentoring match, Kathy and her mentee Kyrin sitting back to back at a picnic table.
Kyrin and Kathy Grow Together

“Amazing,” that’s the word sixteen-year-old mentee Kyrin used to describe her relationship with her mentor Kathy. Being matched for over a year now, both have grown as individuals and in their friendship.

Kyrin and Kathy are an active match. They both enjoy spending time outdoors and having new experiences together. One of Kyrin’s most memorable moments with Kathy so far was going kayaking together for the first time. While Kyrin likely would not have done this on her own, she felt “safe doing that” with Kathy even though “it’s out of [her] comfort zone.”

Having Kathy to talk to and spend time with has positively impacted Kyrin’s life. Both Kathy and Kyrin are looking forward to continuing their relationship and being able to grow older together.

“It’s made me feel a lot better because being like a teenager you feel like you have no one to talk to,” says Kyrin about spending time with Kathy. “You feel like you’re always on your own, like no one’s ever there for you. It’s nice to actually have someone that’s like ‘yeah let’s go hang out.’”

TrueMentors’ Parks in Focus

Parks in Focus is an outdoor-based group mentoring program run through TrueMentors with support from the Udall Foundation. Youth go on a variety of outdoor outings while they connect with nature through photography.

Student named Danny holding a camera in front of him taking a picture of a river, at Parks in Focus. TrueMentors
Danny Builds Confidence in Herself at Parks in Focus

Being a part of Parks in Focus has helped Danny feel more comfortable around others. Not only has Danny come out of her shell, but she has also formed new friendships with different kids throughout Newaygo County in the program.

“The program has helped me get out of my comfort zone,” says Danny about the impact being in Parks in Focus has had on her life. “Before I was in Parks in Focus I used to get really nervous around people, but now that’s kind of calmed down and I’m not really nervous.”

The new experiences Parks in Focus provides helps Danny leave her comfort zone in a safe environment. Having time to build relationships while experiencing new things with the other kids has enabled Danny to grow throughout the time she’s been in the program.

Seeing the impact mentoring programs like TrueMentors has on youth illustrates the importance of mentoring. You can impact lives for a lifetime when you become a mentor. From community mentoring to TrueBlue Academy and Parks in Focus, there are a number of opportunities for you to help area youth flourish. Get involved today to make a difference in the lives of youth just like Aiden, Kyrin and Danny.


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