This is the first of five articles for the Libraries of Promise Initiative. TM The concept of mentoring has caught fire recently, first in the business world, then, as a means of helping at-risk and lost youth find the way to successful adulthood.
Mentors can do much more than help steer young people away from pitfalls.
Teammates of Nebraska is a network of mentors begun by Tom and Nancy Osborne. The program is designed to help young people avoid risky behaviors, while improving academic performance. Adult TeamMates serve as positive role models for students needing extra adult attention and meet with their student TeamMates at least one hour a week during school hours, sharing in a variety of activities. Both types of mentoring may involve elements of teaching, guiding, coaching, modeling, and counseling. Although schools are generally thought of first in relation to mentoring, librarians have traditionally worked with both types of mentoring.