Mentoring Works

Mentoring Goes Fishing

Program Description
Eligibility Requirements
Contact

Program Description

Mentoring Works is dedicated to helping youth by providing children, ages 7 to 17, a one-to-one relationship with a well screened and trained volunteer. We support 35 mentor/protégé matches in a typical year. We currently have 20 youth on a waiting list hoping for a mentor.

Mentoring has proven to be the most effective and least expensive intervention for vulnerable youth. Research shows that youth involved in mentoring activities were significantly more likely to develop attitudes and habits that help ensure success. Compared to youth without mentors, the children with mentors:

Were 46% less likely to begin drug use
Were 27% less likely to begin alcohol use
Had 59% improvement in grades at school
Improved their ability to stay out of trouble
Credited mentors with improving their ability to avoid drugs

(Sources: “Mentoring: Lessons Learned” (pdf), The Commonwelath Fund, Louis Harris and Associates, Ink., 1994: “Making A Difference: An Impact Study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters” (pdf), Public Private Ventures, 1995)

Funding is provided by donations and grants from individuals, businesses, community groups, foundations. Examples are the Sonora Area Foundation, the State of California, the Black Hat Foundation and United Way California Capital Region.

Mentoring Works host three fundraisers each year to support program operations.

Here’s the list of what is coming up:

The Short and Tall Charity Golf Tournament Sat, Sept. 15, 2012 — shotgun start at 9 a.m. It’s a golf tournament with a twist — teams are made up of one adult and one child Plus there are fun and games at each hole — $100 per team to enter
The Taste for Mentoring Soup Sampling and Art Show Tuesday, October 30, 2012 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Elk Lodge in Sonora Entrance is $20 per person — sample soups from our finest restaurants
The Taste for Mentoring Dessert Contact and Antique Auto Show Sunday, April 21, 2013 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. at the Elk Lodge in Sonora Entrance is $20 per person — sample desserts from our finest restaurants

This year the Mentoring Works program will be the beneficiary of the Black and White Charity Ball hosted by the Black Hat Foundation. The event will be held on Saturday, May 5th starting at 5:30 p.m. at Foothills Horizons. Dinner by Seven Sisters and music by the Rod Harris quartet will make this an evening worth remembering. Tickets are $85 per person. To reserve your space go to www.blackhatfoundation.org.
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Eligibility Requirements

Mentoring Works accepts protégés as young as seven years old and as mature as seventeen. Call Elena at 533-1397 x229 if you know a young person who could benefit from a mentor.

Mentor are needed — if you know of any good mentor-type adults out there, give them a nudge in Elena’s direction as well. Requirements for aspiring mentors: you must be 18 years old or older, willing to give 2-4 hours a week for at least a year, clear a background check including fingerprint check with the Department of Justice and the FBI, submit a copy of your driving record and a copy of your California Driver License (sorry, out-of-staters!), auto insurance, clear a Megan’s Law check as well as a call to three of your references. There is an application to complete and a day long training to attend. The next training will be held June 2012.

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