Mentoring: Investing in Young People, Investing in the Future
by David Shapiro
We know the story. We know that, while tremendous progress has been made, a significant mentoring gap still exists in America for young people. We know that students from families and communities enduring economic hardship are less likely to grow up with adult mentors outside their family. As a result, these students are less likely to graduate high school and go on to college. We’ve heard it before, and we’ll likely hear it again – unless we choose to act differently.
Mentoring helps young people succeed, especially those youth at-risk of becoming disconnected from work, school and the community. Through consistent guidance, support and encouragement, mentors help young people set goals and achieve them. When done well, the stability and security of a mentoring relationship can be the very thing a young person needs most. It’s a gateway to the kind of skill development, goal setting, and belief in one’s self that leads to a fulfilling future.
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David Shapiro is the president and CEO of MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR), the unifying champion for expanding quality youth mentoring relationships. Under Shapiro’s leadership, the organization has been highlighted by the Social Impact Exchange, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, and Grantmakers for Effective Organizations, and was selected by the U.S. Department of Justice Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention to establish and lead the National Mentoring Resource Center.
