• Engage Seattle Home
• Improving Access to Government
• Leveraging Volunteer Service
• Early literacy
• Out-of-school programs
• Mentoring
• Other resources
• Developing Emerging Leaders

Mentoring

Mentoring: leveraging volunteer service to support middle and high school youth to be successful in school and in life.

Not everyone can volunteer during school based hours and yet the value of mentorship and having a caring adult in a young person’s life has long been recognized as an important way to support youth and youth affected by violence. Through our mentorship initiative, we’re partnering with The 4C Coalition, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Puget Sound, and Seattle CARES Mentoring Movement to recruit mentors, reduce the waiting list for mentees, and develop new opportunities for volunteers to support the mentor-mentee relationship.

According to a national study on the Big Brothers Big Sisters mentoring program, after 18 months with their Bigs, the Littles, compared to those children not in their program, were:

• 46% less likely to begin using illegal drugs
• 27% less likely to begin using alcohol
• 52% less likely to skip school
• 37% less likely to skip a class
• 33% less likely to hit someone

Mentors are making a difference in the lives of these youth through both formal and informal forms of mentorship that support student attendance and academic progress. One way, you can support the children and youth already in your life is by talking with them about the importance of attendance and supporting our Be Here, Get There campaign. Did you know?

• Missing as few as three days of school is strongly associated with lower student achievement.
• Missing ten days of school (excused or unexcused) is highly predictive of dropping out and leaving school for good.
• Chronic absence in kindergarten predicts lower academic achievement in 1st grade for all children and the lowest achievement for 5th graders living in poverty?

But in Seattle, in partnership with the Seattle Public Schools and others, we are committed to turning this around. Join us.

Our partners: