The Massachusetts Mentoring Initiative
Since FY99, Massachusetts Service Alliance (MSA) and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts have invested $5.85 million to create new mentoring matches. In the past two years, MSA has invested $774,000 to support 1031 new mentoring matches. Still, there is a large unmet need; more than 4,500 children are on program waiting lists.
A mentor is a positive role model (mentor) who provides access to people, places, and things outside a young person’s (mentee) customary environment. Mentors help youth acquire important life skills such as decision-making, conflict resolution, and long-range planning while developing positive social skills and self-esteem.
Positive results of mentoring relationships are widely acknowledged. A survey of 119 mentoring programs conducted in 2006 provides the following results:
- 85% of youth showed an increase in self confidence
- 77% of youth showed an increase in self expression
- 56% of youth showed an improved attitude towards school
Learn more about MSA’s Mentoring programs
MSA seeks an organization to provide training and technical assistance to its funded mentoring programs in the Commonwealth. The training and technical assistance plan must focus on building the infrastructure of new and expanding mentoring programs. See the RFP for more details.
“My Big Brother Rick has inspired me to sign-up for sports, to play basketball and baseball. Rick and I have been to many UMass basketball home games. I love UMass so much now that I want to go to college there and play on their basketball team. He has inspired me by bringing me to fun places. I make him laugh and he makes me laugh. He has also inspired me by helping with my reading. Every Saturday or Sunday we go to his house and read about four chapters. We’re now reading A Hard Line Drive to Short.”
Derrick, Age 10, Hampden County |
