What is Mentoring?   A mentor literally means "a wise and trusted friend." But to a youth, it can mean much, much more. Most people have had someone who took the time to explain how things worked, showed us the ropes, or gave us the confidence we needed. Adults and teens helping children and youth succeed by volunteering as positive role models "'Mentoring' describes a relationship between an older, more experienced adult and an unrelated, younger protégé or mentee, characterized by on-going guidance, instruction, and encouragement provided by the adult and aimed at developing the competence and character of the mentee." (Rhodes, 2002) A comprehensive screening, training, and monitoring process through a formal program with successful evaluated outcomes Mentee Benefits   Research consistently shows that introducing a volunteer mentor into a young person’s life for a one-to-one relationship can greatly enhance his or her prospects for leading a healthy and productive life. “Successful mentoring has been shown to have a positive effect on some forms of delinquent behavior, including skipping school and skipping class, initiating alcohol and drug use, and getting in physical fights.” (Bauldry, 2006) Young people also improve their self-confidence, improve their attitudes, increase their interest in school, and improve their relationships with peers and parents Mentor Benefits   Adult volunteers report their mentoring experiences have improved their lives in tangible ways: they feel better about themselves for playing a positive role in a child’s life, learn more about themselves, increase their sense of responsibility and accomplishment, increase morale at work, and report better relationships in all areas. (Mentor Consulting Group, 2000) Improved understanding of schools Fresh perspective on life Return to work happier 100% agreed that small social programs can make a difference