Mentoring: A Positive Impact for All — Episode 165

Pictured: Teen Leaders in the HYPE program at City of Mesa Parks,
Recreation and Community Facilities participate in an exercise to
overcome obstacles. Photo courtesy of Blythe Brown. 


Did you know that 74 percent of adults who were mentored as youth
say their mentor contributed significantly to their success in
life? Now, consider that more than 1 in 3 young people in America
are growing up without a mentor.


Fortunately, park and recreation professionals are addressing
this gap by bringing more mentoring opportunities to youth across
the country. And, NRPA is supporting these professionals and
their agencies in their efforts to build effective and
evidence-based mentoring programs that connect youth with caring
and compassionate mentors, while strengthening connections across
community. 


On today’s episode, in celebration of National Mentoring Month,
we chatted with six youth mentees and six of their mentors in
Mesa, Arizona; Huntsville, Alabama; and Monroe County, Michigan,
to learn more about the impact of these programs.


Tune in to the full episode to learn how each program is meeting
the unique needs of youth, providing safe spaces filled with
opportunities, and helping youth build meaningful connections
with their peers and adults. You’ll hear from:


Chris Daniels, a mentor for City of Huntsville Parks and
Recreation Department’s Male Mentorship program

Carter Williams, a youth participant in City of Huntsville
Parks and Recreation Department’s Male Mentorship program

Blythe Brown, recreation assistant, Oscar Venegas, recreation
supervisor, and Raynetta Brown, recreation coordinator for City
of Mesa Parks, Recreation and Community Facilities

Eilleen Johnson, Adyson Thompson and Rebekkah Evans, teen
leaders for City of Mesa’s HYPE (Helping Youth Produce
Excellence) program

Jason Allen, ACC special projects director, and Maya Falls,
ACC peer youth worker, from the Monroe County Opportunity Program

Ava Long and Emery Amison, youth participants in the Monroe
County Opportunity Program



You’ll also hear tips for starting a mentoring program at your
agency and the benefits of simply incorporating a mentoring
mindset into your existing programs. And, be sure to check out
NRPA’s suite of mentoring resources below to help you along the
way.


Related Links:


Mentoring in Parks and Rec

NRPA’s Mentoring Resources

Grant Opportunity: Out-of-School Time (OST) Youth Mentoring
Program Grant

Slideshow: City of Mesa HYPE Program

City of Huntsville Parks and Recreation Department’s Male
Mentorship Program

Monroe County Opportunity Program

Thank Your Mentor Day: Stories of Impact from STRONGkids

Mentoring.org



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If you enjoyed this episode or learned something that
might help you make a positive impact in your community, please
consider donating to NRPA. Your gift will support our
storytelling efforts and our mission to advance parks,
recreation and environmental resilience efforts that enhance
the quality of life for all at nrpa.org/donate.