In today’s Advisor, we recognize National Mentoring Month with an article on youth mentoring from Dr. Susan Weinberger, president of the Mentor Consulting Group in Norwalk, Connecticut, and an international expert on internal and external business mentoring and coaching programs. Weinberger writes:
Many companies across America and internationally have embraced the concept of engaging in youth mentoring programs. Larger companies include Eli Lilly, Allstate Insurance Company with its extensive Helping Hands project, and General Electric Corporation. Much smaller companies, such as Webster Bank with branches in CT, RI, and MA, are involved in releasing employees to serve as mentors, in this case, in the schools where their bank branches are located.
Companies that engage in youth mentoring programs sanction "work release" during the workday for their employees to volunteer as mentors for a youth, known as a mentee, at a specific location or in the community. The minimum requirement is 1 hour each week for a year of mentor/mentee sessions. Youth mentoring programs follow quality assurance standards to ensure maximum protection for mentors and mentees.
Mentors often:
- Help to guide a young person toward completion of high school;
- Support postsecondary and employment opportunities; and
- Help to improve their self esteem, academic performance, and peer relationships.
In short, mentors are helping to prepare our future workforce.
I have never witnessed a more powerful initiative to make a difference in the lives of young people today than mentoring. Youth mentoring is a structured and trusting relationship. The mentor offers encouragement aimed at developing the competence and character of the mentee. A nonprofit agency partners with a company to initiate and implement the program.
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Regardless of the program design or age of the youth being mentored, a mentor’s primary role is to serve as the mentee’s guide, friend, and advocate. [As noted previously,] often mentors help to guide a young person toward completion of high school, support postsecondary and employment opportunities, and help to improve their self-esteem, academic performance, and peer relationships. A mentor is not a teacher or other professional or parent. Mentors are helping to prepare our future workforce.
Corporate Engagement in Mentoring
Companies thinking of designing a youth mentoring program should:
- Obtain top management approval and get them involved.
- Identify one person in the company, typically from Human Resources, Community or Public Relations, or the Foundation who serves as the liaison with a partnering agency.
- Secure release time from supervisors for employees to mentor.
- Recruit potential mentors and ask them to complete an application process.
- Screen employees, including a criminal background check to ensure maximum protection for the program, company, mentors, and youth.
- Select employees to mentor who possess ideal characteristics. Not all employees make good mentors.
- Conduct initial and ongoing training in conjunction with the partnering agency.
- Monitor and support mentor/mentee sessions.
- Recognize company mentors for their efforts.
- Bring closure to matches, when appropriate.
- Evaluate the program to determine its impact.
January—National Mentoring Month
Since 2001, national youth-serving organizations, such as MENTOR, United Way Worldwide, and others, have teamed up with the Harvard School of Public Health every January to celebrate youth mentoring. The effort is aimed at acknowledging the value and multidirectional benefits of mentoring and creating awareness of the importance and need for more mentors in the lives of young people. National Mentoring Month is a great time to jump on board, provide "work release" for your employees to get involved with a deserving youth, and enjoy the benefits. Socially responsible companies engage mentors who improve their own morale, satisfaction, and improve their job and personal performance. A listing of programs available in your area can be found on Mentoring.org.
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Weinberger has a BS degree from Carnegie-Mellon University and her doctorate from the School of Business and Public Management at the University of Bridgeport. She is widely published and is a consultant to numerous corporations, community agencies, and schools and four federal agencies. She can be reached at www.MentorConsultingGroup.com or DrMentor@aol.com.
In next Friday’s Advisor, we’ll look at more options in youth mentoring.
Why It Matters
- Youth is the future of your organization.
- Mentoring programs can help you prepare talented young individuals for the specific needs of your organization.
- Young people will be attracted to your organization when you offer unique, career-building training opportunities.