Why Mentoring?
A growing body of research confirms what we instinctively know to be true – that a caring adult can make a big difference in a child's future.
"youth expert and researcher Joy Dryfoos. Author of the book, Adolescence at Risk, Dryfoos identified a number of factors that put youth especially at risk of not becoming successful adults. Those factors include performing poorly in school and dropping out; engaging in substance abuse, having sex at an early age and engaging in delinquent behavior."
Dryfoos then categorized youth by risk status:
- Very high risk (10 percent of young people) – young people with multiple problem behaviors who commit serious offenses, drop out of school; use heavy drugs and have sex without contraception, etc.
- High risk (15 percent) – youth who participate in two or three problem behaviors but at a slightly lower frequency and with less deleterious consequences;
- Moderate risk (25 percent) – youth who tend to experiment in committing minor delinquent offenses, using substances occasionally but not hard drugs, have sexual intercourse with contraception, etc.; and
- Low risk (50 percent) – young people who do not commit any serious delinquent acts, do not abuse substances and are not yet sexually active.
Mentors serve as role models, advocates, friends, and advisors. Numerous studies document that mentors help young people augment social skills and emotional well-being, improve cognitive skills, and plan for the future. High-quality mentoring also results in better attendance at school, lowers dropout rates, and decreases involvement with drugs and violent behavior. In short, quality mentoring works.
