[Press Release] Celebrating 15 Years of National Mentoring Month
Press Release - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
January 2017
LADYS Program - Cville
CELEBRATING 15 YEARS OF NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH LADYS PROGRAM – CVILLE LOOKS TO ENGAGE COMMUNITY THROUGHOUT JANUARY
[Charllotesville, VA] – January is National Mentoring Month, and this year the LADYS Program is celebrating 15 years of the mentoring movement and expanding quality mentoring opportunities to connect more of our community’s young people with caring adults by engaging our supporters across the nation.
“Over the past fifteen years, mentoring has gained so much momentum, in large part due to National Mentoring Month. Mentoring is a critical part of developing positive relationships within our community – mentoring is proven to have a positive effect on academic, social, and economic outcomes for our young people.” – National Mentoring Summit
Research shows that mentors can play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible choices, attend and engage in school, and reduce or avoid risky behavior like drug use. In turn, these young people are:
55% more likely to be enrolled in college
81% more likely to report participating regularly in sports or extracurricular activities.
78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities.
More than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team.
Yet, the same research shows that 9 million young people in our country will grow up without a mentor.
National Mentoring Month each January allows for unique engagement from community members interested in becoming a mentor. This year, with the support of the mentoring community, we are encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in making a real life impact. Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through those real life decisions.
Important dates for this public awareness campaign that activate on social media include:
– January 12, 2017: “I Am a Mentor Day,” a day for volunteer mentors to celebrate their role and reflect on the ways mentees have enhanced their world and share their stories about being a mentor on social media using #MentorIRL. – January 16, 2017: Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service, a day to share in the inspirational words of MLK, Jr. and elevate the spirit of service through volunteerism. –January 17, 2017: International Mentoring Day, a day of international conversations on social media where photos, video and messages to share powerful mentoring stories. –January 19, 2017: “Thank Your Mentor Day,” a day for all who have real life mentoring experiences to thank those who helped them on their path to adulthood and beyond when we encourage anyone who has had a mentor to say thank you by sending a note, a card or sharing a story on social media using #MentorIRL.
National Mentoring Month is led by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with support from the Highland Street Foundation. Each year since its launch in 2002, National Mentoring Month has enjoyed the strong support of the President and the United States Congress. Other prominent individuals who have participated in the campaign include: Maya Angelou, former President Bill Clinton, Clint Eastwood, Quincy Jones, Cal Ripken Jr., Bill Russell and Usher.
To learn more about the role mentoring plays in our community visit www.LADYSProgram.com ###
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