Mentors on Mentoring

January is National Mentoring Month and President George W. Bush, President-elect Barack Obama, and General Colin L. Powell are headlining the Eighth Annual National Mentoring Month volunteer recruitment drive. Held each January, the campaign mobilizes community volunteers to help young people achieve their full potential.

The Volunteer Center sponsors two exceptional mentoring programs in which trained and caring adults mentor troubled youth and mothers in need of guidance in parenting and life skills. One of these programs is Mentoring Moms, which recruits, screens, trains and supervises women who serve as mentors and role models to overwhelmed mothers reported for abuse or neglect of their children and/or women attempting to move from welfare to work.

In honor of National Mentoring Month, some of our mentors will be sharing insights on our blog, so please check back often!

From Mentor, Cathy: "After the initial meeting with my mentee, it was incredible to me to be there to listen, and to see you're making an impact on someone else's life. You're really stepping out of your comfort zone when you do this. Even though parenting is the same, your resources are different and school systems are different. Mostly I try to encourage my mentee and offer guidance whenever I can, like friends do."

From Mentor, Celeste: "At the end of the day I feel rewarded."

From Mentor, Barbara: "I've worked with moms who had drug and alcohol problems, in addition to moms with chronic health issues. I've been fortunate to meet and bond with these women, all who might not have had someone to be there in times of great need, as well as in happy times, which should be shared with someone who cares. While mentoring, I've learned great compassion for others, that listening is better than talking, and just how lucky I am."

Visit the Volunteer Center Mentoring Page or www.whomentoredyou.org to see how you can get involved and become a mentor today.