The State of Mentoring in Our Region
The Mentoring Matters coalition, which is co-led by Deloitte and United Way NCA, brings together local mentoring organizations to share best practices and strengthen partnerships that will better serve our community’s youth.
In December, Deloitte and United Way NCA co-released a report assessing the current state of mentoring in our region. The 2015 Greater Washington DC Area State of Mentoring report offers insights collected from 43 organizations across the region. Part reality check/part call to action, the report raises a shocking statistic: 70% percent of organizations in our community do not have enough mentors to effectively provide quality mentoring services to young people.
Mentoring truly does matter. Young adults with mentors are 16% more likely to enroll in college than those without mentors. Mentors help with schoolwork; they talk through problems; they are just there. Mentors model positive behavior; they offer encouragement. They build young people’s confidence, boost morale and increase their self-esteem.
Despite research showing mentoring improves young people’s lives, mentoring organizations face a troubling set of challenges, including a lack of funding, difficulty recruiting new mentors and not enough staff. Unfortunately, for young people waiting for a mentor, the list is long. Fifty-eight percent of organizations report that they have a wait list of young people seeking mentors.
- To better serve youth in our community, mentoring organizations must achieve the following:
- Recruit more mentors, particularly male mentors, to meet demand.
Extend the length of mentoring relationships beyond two years.
Establish stronger partnerships to facilitate recruitment and funding.
Learn more about the state of mentoring in our region. Read the full report
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