Franklin County Caring Communities

Join Watershed Mentoring Saturday, January 14, 2012, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Swanton Teen Center, Swanton, Vermont. Call Cindy or Beth at 527-5049 for more information.

Mentoring Resources and Tips for Developing Service-Learning Partnerships

Did You Know?

January is National Mentoring Month! Now in its 11th year, National Mentoring Month focuses attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us — individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and nonprofits — can work together to increase the number of mentors to assure brighter futures for our young people.Together, the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Corporation for National and Community Service are working to focus national attention on the need for mentors. This year’s National Mentoring Month theme is Invest in the future. Mentor a child. Use the following tips to help inspire you to start mentoring or continue mentoring successful kids.

10 THINGS TO DO IN JANUARY (from the National Mentoring Month website)

1. Become a mentor in your community.

2. Learn more about mentoring: Visit www.nationalmentoringmonth.org and Search Institute online for more information on mentoring.

3. Partner with a mentoring organization.

4. Tell five friends about National Mentoring Month.

5. Think about the mentors in your life and post a tribute to them online. Share your mentoring story on our Facebook page here.

6. Read research and find resources on mentoring. Get resources from Search Institute here.

7. Serve your community on MLK Day of Service by deciding to become a mentor.

8. Make a donation to a mentoring organization in your community.

9. Go to YouTube on Thank Your Mentor Day™ (January 26) and make the National Mentoring Month videos the most popular of the day.

10. Explore ways to help children succeed academically through mentoring. Learn more here.

Join Watershed Mentoring at our annual “open house” celebration of National Mentoring Month on Saturday, January 14, 2011, 11AM to 2 PM, at the Swanton Teen Center. We’ll have games, refreshments, and a time for sharing about the great benefits that mentors, youth, and families experience from mentoring. This is a great way for people thinking about mentoring to meet current mentors and learn more.

For more information or to RSVP, contact Cindy Cook at 527-5049 or email mentoring@fcccp.org. We look forward to seeing you there!

Reprinted from Mentor Minute. 
January 3, 2012: President Barack Obama has issued a proclamation designating January as National Mentoring Month, saying, “Every day, mentors help young Americans face the challenges of growing into adulthood. By setting a positive example and sharing their time, knowledge and experience, mentors play an essential role in preparing our Nation’s youth for a bright future. During National Mentoring Month, we celebrate the contributions of all those who cultivate a supportive environment for the next generation, and we recommit to expanding mentorship opportunities across our country.”

January 2012 marks the 11th anniversary of National Mentoring Month, an annual media campaign to recruit volunteer mentors for young people. Spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR and the Corporation for National and Community Service, this year’s campaign tagline is Invest in the Future. Mentor a Child.

Mentors, backed by quality mentoring programs, play a powerful role in preventing substance abuse and youth violence, as well as boosting academic achievement and workforce readiness. Studies have shown a more than 250 percent return on a $1 investment in mentoring and myriad quality of life benefits to the mentor, too. Mentors help build young people’s character and confidence, expand their universe and help them navigate pathways to successful adulthood. Despite this proven impact, the gap between the number of mentors and the number of young people who need a mentor is still too large. While three million young people have a mentor, 15 million need a caring adult mentor in their lives.

“National Mentoring Month gives the mentoring field an opportunity to collectively celebrate the proven impact of quality programs and the impactful service of mentors nationwide while also sounding the call to grow the movement through increased volunteerism and financial investment,” said MENTOR’s President and CEO David Shapiro. “We thank our national partners across sectors, including the media and funders who make it possible to sound that call, and we thank the Mentoring Partnerships and programs that creatively implement and expand the campaign every year and work to close the mentoring gap everyday.”

“We feel fortunate that President Obama shined the spotlight on National Mentoring Month in this proclamation, and we applaud his and First Lady Michelle Obama’s personal commitment and example through their mentoring programs in the White House,” Shapiro added.

In his proclamation, Obama noted, “Last January, we partnered with businesses across America to launch the Corporate Mentoring Challenge, which calls on corporations to begin or expand mentoring programs that pair children with positive role models, foster leadership skills and put them on the path to success in school and beyond. As part of our steadfast commitment to support our service members and their loved ones, we are funding new mentorship opportunities for children from military families.  And we are continuing to engage faith and community groups to help recruit mentors who can guide our youth in education, employment and engaged citizenship.”

Michelle Obama announced the Corporate Mentoring Challenge at the first National Mentoring Summit last January. MENTOR will again host the Summit, along with Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Harvard School of Public Health, the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention and United Way Worldwide, January 24 and 25 in Washington, D.C. The Summit gives the field and cross-sector partners an opportunity to learn and grow together to better meet the mentoring needs of the nation’s young people.

For additional information about National Mentoring Month, visit SERVE.gov/MENTOR. For more information and resources on quality youth mentoring and MENTOR’s network of Mentoring Partnerships and programs, visit www.mentoring.org or contact mentoring@fcccp.org for information about opportunities right here in Franklin County, Vermont.

Watershed Mentoring will be celebrating its awesome mentors and mentees on Saturday, January 14, 2o12 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Swanton Teen Center. Mentees and their families, mentors, and prospective mentors and other members of the community are welcome to join us for food, fun, and friendship. Call Cindy Cook at 527-5049 x 2 for more information!

A great time was had by our mentors, mentees, and families at the Kingman Street Klassic in July! Many thanks to all who helped out, with special thanks going to Lisa Thibault, Roger Bushey, our WM advisory committee members and supermentors.

A big thank you to Kathy Manahan and the annual Kingman Street Klassic Car Show for supporting Caring Communities and Watershed Mentoring!  We appreciate it.

Check our calendar for fun events for mentors, mentees, and families coming up, and friend Watershed Mentoring on facebook for more updates.