Data clearly show many youths have a desperate need for positive role models. More preventive care is needed, as are support networks to fill the void left by busy or absent parents. Career mentoring helps mentored youth develop the necessary skills to enter or continue on a career path. Personal development mentoring supports mentored youth during times of personal or social stress and provides guidance for decision making. Increasingly, older youth are encouraged to volunteer as part of their educational requirements.
Volunteers go through a screening process before acceptance.
Professional case workers provide assistance, support, and on-going supervision of all matches. To Succeed is a nationwide, structured mentoring program in language arts that combines community mentors, a computerized database, and a management system to improve student achievement. The program can be purchased and administered by school districts for use in grades K- 12. It is now being utilized in over 500 schools in the country and has won numerous awards. Almost 40,000 students are involved.