“Mentoring relationships are a core component of healthy human development, offering support at key moments in our lives, teaching us skills and expanding our opportunities, and filling gaps in each person’s network of support as we strive for our goals and transition into adult life.

Mentoring is also a cornerstone of healthy, vibrant communities, places where the citizens care for one another, where divisions and disparities are addressed collaboratively, where everyone’s potential can be reached, and everyone contributes to the greater good.

Unfortunately, not all young people get these relationships – 40% of today’s young people grow up without ever having a mentor.1 And many American communities have yet to maximize the mentoring support they offer young people. That’s where the work of MENTOR comes in.

Major studies of mentoring programs and the relationships they provide have found that quality mentoring experiences…

Produce positive impacts on almost every aspect of a young person’s life – education, mental health and wellbeing, development of a healthy identity and sense of belonging, positive engagement in the community, and successful transition into higher education and career paths.
Help young people avoid negative behaviors and overcome challenges when they arise.
Have a positive impact on multiple areas of a young person’s life simultaneously – the flexibility and consistency of mentoring provides multi-faceted support over time, unlike many single-focus programs or short-term interventions.”
Learn more about the impact that mentoring has on the lives of America’s young people by visiting the Mentoring Website here.