Seattle CARES is proud to celebrate National Mentoring Month. This national recognition of mentoring has been celebrated coast-to-coast for more than 20 years. Like Seattle CARES, this campaign is aimed at expanding quality mentoring opportunities that connect our community’s young people with caring adult mentors.
Research has shown that mentors play a powerful role in a young person’s life. They provide youth with the tools they need to make responsible decisions, stay focused and engaged in their schoolwork, and reduce or avoid risky behavior such as skipping school or using alcohol or drugs. Yet one in three young people in our country grow up without a mentor.
Mentoring forms a strong and personal connection between two individuals. It lets young people know that they matter, that someone cares. They see first-hand that someone who looks like them and faced the same challenges has created a successful career and home life. Mentors also feel empowered and inspired by the mentor-mentee relationship.
National Mentoring Month is led by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health at Harvard University. Mentoring Month has been supported by many well-known individuals including poet Maya Angelou, former presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, and musicians Quincy Jones and Usher.
Find our more about mentoring here.