27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol. 53 percent less likely to skip school and 37 percent less likely to skip class. More than 60 percent of the subjects in the study were boys and more than half were members of minority groups, mostly African-American. The effects of the mentoring relationships were sustained for both boys and girls and across races. The basics of mentoring There are numerous mentoring programs in communities, schools and businesses across the country.
Mentors are adult volunteers who spend time with a child that needs attention and guidance.
Mentors are generally asked for a one-year commitment to the program. Several of the most common indicators are truancy, poor academic performance, and weak social skills. Mentoring programs are generally implemented with a specific goal. The majority of mentoring programs focus on the middle grades, a time when teens and pre-teens face serious decisions about what courses to take, what activities to engage in and how seriously to take their schoolwork. The years from 10 through 14 are a crucial turning point in life's trajectory.