Youth Connection seeks mentors

From staff reports

Youth Connection is in need of mentors that can share their positivity and become an optimistic role model in the lives of the local youth.

Local school-age children and adolescents are struggling to find an anchor in this post health pandemic era. The last three years of social and economic change have left youth felling fearful for their future and needing more guidance and reassurance from adults.

Program Director, Beth Hazlett states “Local youth are just feeling lost and confused about how to navigate all of the challenges in forming positive relationships. It is crucial that every youth has a caring adult to foster positive self-esteem and teach valuable life skills.”

Hazlett also said that when matched with a caring mentor, youth are more likely to avoid risky behaviors such as drugs and alcohol, make more responsible decisions, avoid truancy, achieve higher grades, and have a better relationship with their parent/guardian and peers.

“The matched youth are also more likely to participate in positive school-sponsored activities such as athletics, band and clubs. They are more likely to become involved in church youth groups and volunteer for local organiztions. Many of our mentors report that their own lives are enriched through feeling like they are really making a difference in the life of their mentee. And that ultimately benefits the community because healthy communities prioritize positive youth development. It really is a great way to make a huge impact just by sharing one’s life experiences, perspectives and skills with a child or teen in need of some extra attention,” Hazlett said.

There are many disadvantaged youth within our community in need of a mentor who can introduce them to new activities, role model positive social behaviors and assist the youth in practicing healthier ways to problem-solve and instill hope for a brighter future. The impact of mentoring a youth far exceeds the reasonable time commitment invested by the mentor. Youth Connection asks that mentors spend just a few hours each month with their mentee. The mentor, mentee and caregiver(s) receive professional support from staff to offer suggestions for activities and assistance with any concerns that may arise throughout the match relationship’s development.

There are other ways to get involved with Youth Connection if becoming a mentor is not for you. One way is to join the advisory committee, which is made up of dedicated community volunteers who help the program serve more youth and oversee the overall growth and productivity of the program.

Another way to help is by donating to Youth Connection, helping to sustain the important work of maintaining existing match relationships and building new ones. Contact them to find the method of involvement that is right for you. No action is too small to make a connection in the life of a youth.

Youth Connection is a program of Family Service and Children’s Aid Society, and is a program supported by The United Ways of the Titusville Region and Venango County.

For more information about Youth Connection, contact Beth Hazlett at (814) 676-9940, Ext. 1228 or by email at bhazlett@fscas.org.

From staff reports

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