Big Brothers Big Sisters celebrates National Mentor Month
–The local Big Brothers Big Sisters affiliate for San Luis Obispo County is celebrating mentoring and the positive effect it can have on young lives. This January marks the sixteenth year of National Mentor Month; a nationwide initiative to raise awareness.
Important upcoming dates for this public awareness campaign are:
- Jan 11 – “National Mentoring Month Kick-off Twitter Chat” at 12 p.m. is a social media opportunity to discuss National Mentoring Month and how mentoring is impacting local communities.
- Jan 15 – “Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service”, a day to share in the inspirational words of Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. and elevate the spirit of service through volunteerism.
- Jan 17 – “International Mentoring Day”, a day of international conversations on social media where photos, video and powerful mentoring stories messages are shared.
- Jan 25 – “#ThankYourMentor Day”, a day for all who have real life mentoring experiences to thank those who helped them on their path to adulthood and beyond.
Launched in 2002 by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, National Mentoring Month focuses national attention on the need for mentors, as well as how each of us—individuals, businesses, government agencies, schools, faith communities and nonprofits can work together to increase the number of mentors to help ensure positive outcomes for our young people. This campaign celebrates mentoring and the positive effect it can have on young lives. Its goals are to:
- Raise awareness of mentoring in its various forms.
- Recruit individuals to mentor, especially in programs that have waiting lists of young people.
- Promote the rapid growth of mentoring by recruiting organizations to engage their constituents in mentoring.
National partners work with local leaders to organize special events in their communities supported by local media outlets and public officials. These events help interested adults learn how to turn their concern for young people into direct action by becoming mentors. Each year since its launch, National Mentoring Month has enjoyed the strong support of the U.S. President and members of Congress. Other well-known supporters include the late Maya Angelou, Clint Eastwood, Senator John McCain, Quincy Jones, General Colin L. Powell, Cal Ripken, Jr., Bill Russell and Usher.
Big Brothers Big Sisters mission is to provide children facing adversity with strong and enduring, professionally supported one-to-one relationships that change their lives for the better, forever. The local, volunteer and donor funded organization provides targeted recruiting, screening, training and matching, as well as ongoing support, safety training and supervision for volunteers, children and families. A nationwide Harris Interactive study found that adults who were involved as children in Big Brothers Big Sisters programs grew-up to be better educated, wealthier, and report stronger relationships with their spouses, children and friends. For more information on volunteering or contributing to Big Brothers Big Sisters call (805) 781-3226, or visit the website.
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