January is National Mentoring Month

The impact of a supportive and engaged mentor is immeasurable.

January is National Mentoring Month which is an annual campaign aimed at expanding quality mentoring opportunities to connect more of our community’s young people with caring adults.

When I think about mentoring, I recall the reward and the responsibility of volunteering as a middle school volleyball coach. A coach’s actions and words can build up a player’s confidence on the court, but the lessons learned are even more important off the court.

Mentoring is deeply ingrained in the Michigan Works! culture. At the 2018 Michigan Works! Annual Conference, Michigan Works! Southeast Director Shamar Herron moderated the Coaches’ Corner: The Power of Mentoring / Culture of Excellence panel discussion. As a former collegiate athlete, Shamar was perfectly poised to lead this conversation with the champion coaches that had been assembled.

As leaders, we are called to serve, to inspire others and influence outcomes - at home, at work and at play. Whether you are a coach or working the front lines at Michigan Works!, you can be the difference. It is important to have a role model for success, and someone you trust who can give you positive reinforcement and hold you accountable.

Research shows that mentors play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible choices, attend and engage in school, and reduce or avoid risky behavior like drug use. In turn, these young people are:

• 55% more likely to be enrolled in college

• 81% more likely to report participating regularly in sports or extracurricular activities

• 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities

• More than twice as likely to say they held a leadership position in a club or sports team

Yet, the same research shows that one in three young people in our country will grow up without a mentor.

National Mentoring Month is the time of year where engagement from community members interested in becoming a mentor is highest. This year, with the support of the mentoring community, we are encouraging the public to go beyond just digital engagement – and become involved in real life. Mentoring relationships are at their best when connections are made between a caring adult and a young person who knows that someone is there to help guide them through those real-life decisions.

In Michigan, the Michigan Community Service Commission (MCSC) and Mentor Michigan+ is asking you to celebrate National Mentoring Month by thanking your mentor on social media or reaching out to a child in need.

Specific days to celebrate during National Mentor Month include:

• January 7, 2021 – I Am a Mentor Day

  • A day for volunteer mentors to celebrate their role and reflect on the ways mentees have enhanced their world.

• January 17, 2021 – International Mentoring Day

  • In honor of Muhammad Ali’s birthday, join the international conversation on social media where photos, videos and messages of powerful mentoring stories are shared. Use #MentoringDay & #MentoringMonth in your posts!

• January 18, 2021 – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day of Service

  • A day to share in the inspirational words of Dr. MLK, Jr. and elevate the spirit of service through volunteerism.

• January 29, 2021 – #ThankYourMentor Day

  • Thank your mentor for making a difference!

Gratitude is an easy and powerful way to acknowledge the impact that another person has had on your life. Showing appreciation to those that have helped you out is a fantastic way to both inspire and encourage the next generation to become mentors.

Luann Dunsford, CEO, Michigan Works! Association