Youth mentoring is becoming more and more popular across the country. At DREAM, we offer youth mentoring programs for young boys and girls in the Omaha area. Through our mentoring programs, we have been able to see how important this program and mentorship is for the youth in our community. Our volunteer mentors work hard to help young boys and girls develop essential life skills, get through challenging times and promote a healthy lifestyle for all. 

Since everyone is different, no mentoring program is identical. Mentors listen to stories and try to help in the best ways possible. Here are some benefits of youth mentoring programs! 

Academic Benefits

Mentoring programs are very similar to tutoring programs in the sense that both are focused on helping children become successful in school. However, mentoring programs are much more complex and do not just focus on teaching curriculum. In fact, mentoring programs are designed to help children with their time management skills, their study habits and help young students stay on schedule. 

According to MENTOR, a national mentoring program, children who are involved in a mentoring program were:

• 55 percent more likely to enroll in a college or university
• 52 percent less likely to skip school
• 37 percent less likely to skip class
• And 81 percent more likely to participate in extracurricular activities within their school

Mentoring programs teach children the importance of school, how to be invested in their academics and holds them accountable in getting their schoolwork done. Mentoring programs have also helped increase high schools graduation rates, and help students obtain a better attitude towards school in general. 

Social Benefits

On top of helping our youth focus on school and prepare them for high education, youth mentoring programs also help teach proper behavioral skills and traits that play a big part in daily life and making choices. 

According to MENTOR, at risk children who had a mentor were: 

• 78 percent more likely to volunteer
• 90 percent more interested in becoming a future mentor
• And 130 percent more likely to hold leadership positions of some sort

Mentoring young children will help them not only understand and learn skills needed in life, but it will also help them understand themselves better, as well as their thought process and feelings. Mentoring programs help increase confidence, build relationships, accept responsibility and authority and just overall help children gain a better understanding of who they want to be. 

Home Benefits

Lastly, youth mentoring programs have a lasting impact on how children behave at home, and with their family. Through mentoring programs, youth tend to have a better relationship with their parents and siblings and are more likely to accept discipline. Mentoring programs have also decreased the use of drugs, alcohol and overall promote a much healthier lifestyle. When parents are busy and do not have the time to monitor their children at home, youth mentoring programs help guide children in making good choices every day. 

It may not seem like a big deal to have children meet with mentors once or twice a week, but the impact these mentoring programs have on children, their futures and their lifestyles as a whole is overwhelmingly beneficial. 

To become a mentor, or to learn more about our youth mentoring programs, visit our website today!