GUEST COLUMN

Make the choice to make a difference to a kid

By Theresa Clower
Special to the Coastal Point

Though 17,000 seems like an insurmountable number, a challenge too great to mount, the fact is, providing a mentor for each youth that needs one is an obtainable goal. While a large number of those who already mentor are retirees who want to continue to stay involved in the community, a large percentage of the mentors in Delaware are mentoring during their lunch break or taking administrative leave during the work day to visit their mentees.

Perhaps one of the most powerful forms of mentor recruitment is through businesses and corporations. Many companies throughout the state allow their employees to flex time into their work schedules to mentor. Companies that invest time and energy and promote mentoring in the workplace not only demonstrate a commitment to the community, but significantly improve the morale and work ethic of its staff.

Research indicates that employees who mentor are found to return to work happier, are more patient, and get along better with their co-workers. Additionally, productivity, retention and pride in the workplace increases significantly.

Beginning this month, eligible state employees may request an alternative work schedule allowing them to mentor during their work day at a school close to their office. This policy was put into effect with the signing of Executive Order No. 75 by Gov. Ruth Ann Minner, and furthers the state’s commitment to mentoring, setting an extraordinary example as one of the state’s largest employers.

The Delaware Mentoring Council encourages interested state employees to research this opportunity by visiting the State of Delaware Web site at www.delaware.gov and begin to make a difference in the life of a child.

While providing administrative leave to employees may seem like a cost to the company, in the long run, mentoring lowers expenditures, especially within the state. As more youth are mentored, their at-risk behaviors decrease, as they simultaneously become contributing members of society. They learn about commitment to careers and the workplace and realize the opportunities that are available to those who focus and work hard.

One mentor at a Wilmington school who takes time during her lunch break to mentor said, “I knew it would be a challenge to pull myself away from my workday on a consistent basis, but I was also aware that the benefits would outweigh the challenge … and I was right. Taking time once a week with my mentee provides me with a valuable experience and allows me to get a fresh perspective.”

The statistics surrounding mentoring only further the call for mentors: 71 percent of youth who are mentored are less likely to steal, 70 percent are less likely to use cigarettes or tobacco, 50 percent are less likely to use alcohol, 53 percent are less likely to skip school, 33 percent are less likely to get in fights, and 46 percent are less likely to use drugs.

Youth who are mentored are more likely to graduate from high school and more likely to enroll in college. Furthermore, 14 percent of Delaware’s children live in poverty and in an average month, 811 children in Delaware are in foster care. Each week, 18 percent of ninth through 12th graders do not sit down with their family for dinner.

The need for mentors is great and immediate. Make the choice to make a difference and share what you know with a child in need. To learn more about how you can get involved contact the Delaware Mentoring Council at (302) 831-0520 or visit our Web site at www.delawarementoring.org.

Theresa Clower is the director of the Delaware Mentoring Council.