Download the new press release here Download the new fact sheet here   April 21 - 27 is National Volunteer Week!   This year’s theme, Celebrate Service, truly reflects the intention: a time to celebrate people doing extraordinary things through service. One of the most rewarding (and extraordinary) ways to give back is by volunteering to become a mentor to a youth in your own community. Mentors make a real difference in the lives of their mentees and we are focused on encouraging more teens and adults to become volunteer mentors during this highlighted time. At Bay Area Mentoring, we acknowledge and honor volunteer mentors who take the time to support young people and their communities. Without our volunteers, mentoring wouldn’t work. Their efforts help make the transition to healthy adulthood possible and we know that mentoring changes two lives.   Promote National Volunteer Week in your own community and celebrate your volunteers!       January was National Mentoring Month!   January 2013 was the twelfth annual National Mentoring Month, a time each year when our nation spotlights the importance of mentors and the need for every child to have a caring adult in his or her life. Activities for this upcoming year included a concentrated burst of national and local media activity combined with White House and Congressional involvement and extensive community outreach to institutionalize the nation's commitment to long-term mentoring. National Mentoring Month efforts are spearheaded by the Harvard Mentoring Project of the Harvard School of Public Health, MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, and the Corporation for National and Community Service. As the lead local partner, Bay Area Mentoring is the designated partnership in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California responsible for coordinating local campaign activities.     National Mentoring Month 2013 President Barak Obama and the White House proclaimed January as National Mentoring Month! The proclamation reads, in part, "Mentors know that helping a child unlock their full potential begins with care, guidance, and support - which is why my Administration is proud to celebrate mentorship nationwide through programs that help young people see the strength within themselves... I call upon public officials, business and community leaders, educators, and Americans across the country to observe this month with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs." Read the full proclamation.  Visit the Events Page to read more about our efforts and activities from January 2013 that raised awareness of the need for more positive adult and teen role models in Northern California. Learn more about National Mentoring Month. You'll see information about the national push to promote mentoring, including the Who Mentored You? project. Did you have a mentor who was important in your life? Write a tribute to celebrate National Mentoring Month! Watch the National Mentoring Month PSAs featuring General Colin Powell and the ReelPeople Project.   Check out the list of 10 Things to Do During January for ideas on how to celebrate National Mentoring Month! Watch the ReelPeople Project PSA featuring Jennifer and Iliana from Bay Area Mentoring member program Friends for Youth.
	Bay Area Mentoring Efforts In January 2013, Bay Area Mentoring’s 35 member programs reached out to more teens and adults, urging them to serve as mentors to 3,230 children and youth waiting to be matched. Sarah Kremer, Program Director of Friends for Youth’s Mentoring Institute and Coordinator for Bay Area Mentoring, says, “Mentors are needed now to inspire and listen to youth without positive role models. Whether you focus on supporting social skills, emotional development, academics, career interests, or natural talents, mentoring can be a transformational relationship that will make a positive difference.” Bay Area Mentoring programs boast a variety of ways to mentor, all focused on providing consistent and fun support to help youth transition into successful, healthy, and happy young adults. This year’s campaign was “Mentoring Works!” At Bay Area Mentoring, we see the impacts every day. As one mentee says, "I learned from my mentor that even though sometimes things can be tough in life, things will always get better.” A mentor adds, “I learned from my mentee to not sweat the small stuff that happens in life and to enjoy every day.” General Colin L. Powell again headlined this year’s National Mentoring Month volunteer recruitment drive. In the PSA prepared for broadcast on television and radio, General Powell says, “As a nation, we need to ensure that all of our young people are well equipped to lead healthy and productive lives. You can help a young person prepare for a successful future by volunteering with a local mentoring program.” Last year, more than 500,000 individuals across the country responded to the campaign by seeking information about local mentoring programs in need of more volunteers. Bay Area Mentoring programs served 15,000 children and youth last year, but need at least 4,080 more mentors in 2013 for those waiting to be matched. Interested potential volunteers can find a program to match their interests on the pages above, listed by county served.
Bay Area Mentoring was created to help organizations reach potential mentors by partnering with other local programs. Through National Mentoring Month events, the annual Northern California mentoring conference, workshops, and networking opportunities, mentoring programs can leverage their voice to reach volunteers, donors, and the media. To become involved in this community of youth mentoring, be sure to register your program with Bay Area Mentoring so you can be updated on activities, conferences, and program opportunities. To learn more, contact us