Mentoring is a time-proven strategy that can help young people of all circumstances achieve their potential. Mentors are caring individuals who, along with parents or guardians, provide young people with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement and a constructive example.

Youth (mentees) can be referred to our program by any adult in their life who feels they could benefit from a mentoring relationship. We service youth in Grand Forks County ages five to eighteen. There is an application process that includes:

• A paper application
• An interview with the parent or guardian
• A short orientation at the end of the interview to review the policies and procedures of the program

A survey* of parents whose child was in a mentoring relationship for an entire year shows just how much of an impact mentoring can have:

• 47% reported an improvement in their child’s grades
• 55% reported their child got along better with family members
• 83% saw improvements in their child’s self-esteem
• 53% reported their child had fewer behavior problems since the beginning of the mentorship.

*“Amachi Evaluation Results.” Big Brothers Big Sisters Southeastern Pennsylvania, 2002.