Mentoring

Program Description

Mentoring is a sustained relationship between a youth and an adult in which the adult offers encouragement, support, advocacy and career awareness to the youth. A mentoring relationship connects a student with a community member in a way that builds the students self-esteem and sense of being a valued member of the community.

Linking Learning to Life currently has two active programs. Please click on the links to read more about these exciting programs:

• Mentors for Kids is a school-based mentoring program within the Burlington School District
• E-Mentoring for the Blind & Visually Impaired Youth is a program that uses modern communication tools that to help prepare young people who are blind or visually impaired for successful employment and continued learning.

Click Here to make a difference in a child’s life!

Why is it Important?

There is a growing need for adult mentors in our community. In June 2002 the Champlain Initiative Mentoring Task Force estimated 3,300 school-aged youth in our community would benefit from having a mentor in their lives. Only about 600 are currently served by mentoring programs. Disaffected youth often report the lack of a trusted and caring adult as a significant gap in their lives. The Burlington Community (dropout prevention) Project issued as one of its primary recommendations to “develop connections for students with adults who can provide intellectual, emotional and practical support through their developing years.” Mentoring is a perfect example of that type of connection for a student with a caring adult.

Who Does it Benefit?

Students: Research has shown that mentoring is an effective strategy in improving the self-esteem, academic performance, and emotional development of youth while at the same time reducing the likelihood of their participation in high-risk behaviors. Please see Outcome statistics.

For More Information:

Please email Wendy Ellis, Mentoring Coordinator at [email protected], or call (802) 951-8848.