The importance of mentorship
January is National Mentoring Month in Canada.
I am a Mentor Day is on January 11
International Mentor Day is on January 17
Thank Your Mentor Day is on January 27
This powerful form of support provides youth with unique access to opportunities, skill sets, and learning experiences.
Creating space for growth
"Youth need access to supportive relationships," Mentor Canada explains. Mentors can act as a critical lifeline and a connection to hope for the future of our youth.
The government of Canada has created a campaign centred around the hashtag #MentoringMonth with free bilingual (French and English) captions and imagery that you can use on social media to help spread the word.
“Mentor Canada helps broaden and deepen access to quality mentoring for youth in Canada by amplifying a mentoring mindset from coast to coast to coast.”
Mentors can make a profound impact on our young people and we see that impact everyday through the Some Other Solutions Child and Youth Community Outreach Program.
“Whether it’s a mentor just being willing to listen, supporting you, encouraging you, making connections for you, or being a trusted ally for you - that’s everything it takes to be a great mentor,” says Brandi Lewis, SOS Community Outreach Worker.
This positive relationship can help improve school attendance for young people, ease their anxiety and generally help them find a stronger footing to progress through life.
Who can be a mentor?
You don’t need any special skills to be a mentor. If you’re interested, then you already have what it takes: an interest in making a difference in the life of a child. It could be helping the young neighbour down the street learn to cook. Or engaging another youth in a sporting activity that maybe their parents don’t know how to play. It’s about creating a connection through a safe space.
Our Child and Youth Programs at SOS will empower and support young people develop resiliency, self-confidence, and positive mental wellness to meet life’s challenges.
Topics discussed in our programs include:
making friends
anger
teasing and bullying
not being understood
how family/home life affects mental health
If you know a young person who could benefit from the support of Some Other Solutions, please fill out our referral form. Or if you or someone you know would like to become a junior mentor, we have a program designed for young people aged 9-12 who will receive a certificate at the end of the program!
Our youth are destined to be the future leaders and mentors of our community. Supporting them by creating space for growth and support today will help empower them for the future, tomorrow.