bluetree, that's certainly a problem that can occur with some mentoring programs, but please don't paint them all with such a broad brush. For every program that offers insufficient match support or does a poor job connecting the right mentor and mentee, there are dozens that are doing good work. As for effectiveness, I don't think anyone would claim that an hour a week will cure every child's problems. The statistics, however, show that a mentoring relationship such as that used by BB/BS can have incredible effects on the child including decreased experimentation with drugs, higher self-esteem, higher perception of scholastic capability, and smoother relationships with family and peers. As you mentioned, some kids need more than a casual mentor can offer, but for some it's a literal godsend. Ultimately, it's the job of people like myself to look into that and see which children are going to be helped by a mentor and which ones are likely to be disappointed by the particular assistance that a mentoring program can provide.
post #16 of 17
7/6/10 at 7:17pm
