January is National Mentoring Month!

January was first declared National Mentoring Month in 2002 by the Harvard Mentoring Project and the Corporation for National and Community Service. Since that time, MENTOR, the National Mentoring Partnership, has taken an active role in raising the profile of mentoring throughout the United States each January.

Earlier this month, President Obama signed the National Mentoring Month 2010 Proclamation, click below to read the release:

http://www.nationalmentoringmonth.org/news_events/pressreleases/proclamation2010/

All children have the potential to succeed in life and contribute to society. However, not all children get the support they need to thrive. Many need more caring adults in their lives to offer guidance and friendship. They need mentors.

The benefits of mentoring include:
• Improving self-esteem;
• Keeping young people in school;
• Helping improve academic skills;
• Leading young people to resources they might not find on their own;
• Providing support for new behaviors, attitudes and ambitions;
• Increasing young people's ability to seek and keep jobs;
• Enhancing parenting skills.

A mentor can also give a child access to a new world of ideas and experiences.

Mentoring is a special kind of caring, supportive relationship or partnership between two people that is based on trust and respect. Mentors share their knowledge and experience with young people to help them define and reach their goals. If you can give just a few hours a month, there is a child that needs you.

The Mentoring Partnership of Arizona at the Volunteer Center of Southern Arizona recognizes the importance of National Mentoring Month and is taking an active role in encouraging Arizonans to become mentors and to close the mentoring gap.

They will be hosting a number of events during National Mentoring Month, including:

• MLK Day Film Projét Short Film Festival
• January 18th, 2010
• 5:30-7:30
• The Loft Cinema (3233 E. Speedway, Tucson)

• Thank Your Mentor Day Recognition Event
• Wednesday, January 20th, 2010
• 7:00-9:00
• Beowulf Alley Theatre Company (11 S. 6th Ave., Tucson)

• Mentoring Community Forum
• Saturday, January 23rd, 2010
• 9:00-12:00
• Trinity Presbyterian (4th Avenue and University Blvd., Tucson)

• Southern Arizona Mentoring Conference (An endeavor of Community Renewal and Southern Arizona Mentoring Coalition)
• Friday and Saturday, January 29th-30th, 2010
• The Journey (4700 N. Swan Rd., Tucson)

For more information on National Mentoring Month and how you can become involved, please email mentoring@volunteersoaz.org.