KERRY LEGISLATION WOULD STRENGHTEN MENTORING PROGRAMS

[ProSense]

KERRY LEGISLATION WOULD STRENGHTEN MENTORING PROGRAMS

19,000 at-risk youth in Massachusetts stand to benefit

BOSTON – Senators John Kerry (D-Mass.) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) today introduced the Mentoring for All Act of 2009 to strengthen critical mentoring services for at risk youths across the nation.

Mentoring is an important component to the development of at risk youths, but because of a lack of resources, many young people are left without the guidance or benefits of a successful mentoring relationship.

Three million young people across the U.S., including more than 19,000 in Massachusetts, are currently benefiting from a mentoring relationship. However, it is estimated that another 15 million at risk young people nationwide are in the “mentoring gap” and are unable to access mentoring programs.

“Mentoring programs can bring together at risk young people with positive role models who can help them gain the skills they need to lead successful lives. Thousands of young people here in Massachusetts have much to gain from having a mentor. I strongly urge my colleagues to join Senator Specter and me in recognizing the value of a mentor in a young person’s life and to fully support this legislation when it comes before the Senate,” said Senator Kerry.

“While mentoring is readily accepted as a powerful youth development strategy for increased achievement, social skills and belief in one's future, we also know that its power is only harnessed if programs are properly constructed, adults are fully committed, and relationships are well supported. Through the visionary leadership of Senators Kerry and Specter, this multi-faceted investment in youth mentoring strives to increase critical youth connections to caring adults but ensure that this quantity is in lockstep with quality so that our youth and our society receive the full return on this investment in mentoring. We are thankful for the work of the Senators and the mentoring community in Massachusetts is fully readily to capitalize on their belief in mentoring and respect for the need to do it in the most responsible and impactful way. This Act is a substantive backbone to the widespread support for the impact of mentoring on a child and speeds up the day when all youth will have a connection to a caring adult who can stand by them, listen to them, and guide them,” said David Shapiro, CEO of Mass Mentoring Partnership.

“Mentoring infrastructure is the backbone that supports quality mentoring for young people across the country who are in need of caring adult mentors. However, it suffers gaps that can be strengthened through federal support. Closing that gap through a nationwide network of bi-partisan Mentoring Partnerships is the key to ensuring that even more of America’s young people to benefit from the power of mentoring – a critical form of national service,” said Willem Kooyker, Chairman of MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership. “We at MENTOR thank Senators Kerry, Specter and other leaders for advancing the Mentoring for All Act and for their overall dedication to engaging many more Americans in service at this critical moment in our history.”

The Mentoring for All Act of 2009 would:

• Authorize the Corporation for National and Community Service (CNCS) to distribute grants to mentoring programs and partnerships.
  
  
• Improve the sustainability of grant recipients by requiring a match for federal funds.
  
  
• Build in stronger and more regular data collection and improve tracking of mentoring practices and youth outcomes
  
  
• Provide training and technical assistance to grantees.
  
  
• Create a Local Capacity Building Grant program to go to state and local mentoring partnerships. These monies would be in part distributed as subgrants to local mentoring programs in order to support their activities. The grants would also be used towards statewide or local mentoring plans that work to provide increased outreach, training, recruitment and research.
  
  
• A second grant would be created to build State and National mentoring infrastructure. These grants would go to strengthening existing state mentoring partnerships or to create partnerships in states where one doesn’t exist. It would also support national coordination efforts.

[karynnj]

1. Nice

I remember from 2004, that Senator Kerry has been the Senate sponsor who got funding for Youthbuild which helps underprivileged kids as well. Nice to see that he continues to show he cares.

[ProSense]

2. This is perfectly timed:

the stimulus and youth mentoring. Excellent

[firedupdem]

3. This is great and very much needed. n/t

[politicasista]

4. kick for the mentors out there

Thanks Senator Kerry. :kick: :patriot: