Angels Camp, CA… January is National Mentoring Month, the annual campaign aimed at expanding quality mentoring opportunities to connect more of our country’s young people with caring adults. This year, Calaveras Mentoring is celebrating with a social media campaign showcasing all of the opportunities to join Calaveras Mentoring programs.

The local campaign will enlighten and engage the community with daily Facebook posts, Instagram contests, and inspirational mentoring stories designed to attract volunteer mentors as well as youth participants.

The Calaveras Mentoring family of programs now includes FNL Mentoring, Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program, Adventures In Mentoring, and the Independent Living Program.  Friday Night Live (FNL) Mentoring matches high school mentors with middle school proteges for group and individual mentoring; Calaveras Youth Mentoring Program matches youth in first through twelfth grades one-on-one with adult mentors; Adventures In Mentoring is a group mentoring program for young adults; and the Independent Living Program is a series of life skills workshops for young adults in foster care.  All four programs are administered by the Student Support Services department at the Calaveras County Office of Education.

“All of the Calaveras Mentoring programs offer fun opportunities for youth and young adults in Calaveras County to make new friends, learn life skills, and expand their social networks,” said Kaila Gaffney, manager of mentoring programs for the Calaveras County Office of Education. “Our team is here to help build a stronger community, one friendship at a time.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled most Calaveras Mentoring activities to pivot to a virtual format. The shift has been a challenge for everyone, but the creativity and determination of program staff have helped sustained strong friendships and kept the programs thriving.

According to MENTOR, the research shows that mentors play a powerful role in providing young people with the tools to make responsible choices. These young people are:

• 55% more likely to be enrolled in college;
• 81% more likely to participate regularly in sports or extracurricular activities; and
• 78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities;
• More than twice as likely to hold a leadership position in a club or sports team.

Yet, the same research shows that one in three young people in our country will grow up without a mentor.  In Calaveras there is a current need for mentors for girls in the Arnold area and boys in the Valley Springs and Copperopolis areas, as well as group mentors for young adults throughout the entire county.

National Mentoring Month is the peak time of year for engagement by community members interested in becoming a mentor.  Visit www.calaverasmentoring.org to sign up, volunteer in another capacity, or help the program recruit volunteers.  Calaveras Mentoring also relies on the community to support local mentoring programs financially by making an individual donation, or by sponsoring or attending Calaveras Mentoring Foundation fundraisers.

National Mentoring Month is led by MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership and the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, with support from the Highland Street Foundation. Each year since its launch in 2002, National Mentoring Month has enjoyed the strong support of the President, the United States Congress, and many nationally prominent individuals.

Please visit the website at www.calaverasmentoring.org or call Kaila Gaffney at (209) 736-6078 to learn more about mentoring in our community and to find volunteer opportunities.

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