The mission of Bridges Kinship Mentoring
is to encourage children and adolescents to achieve their greatest selves by connecting them with positive role models who can befriend, inspire, encourage and guide them.

What is a mentor?
A mentor is a trusted adult friend with a long-term commitment to provide friendship, guidance and support to a youth. Through positive mentoring relationships, the youth will often overcome the difficulties they face and become successful, productive adults. 

Benefits of Long-term Mentoring: Studies have shown that most children and youth will experience at least some of the following benefits if they are engaged in a long-term, positive mentoring relationship.

• More confident about doing school work often resulting in higher grades
• Better school attendance and attitudes toward school
• Increased chance of going to college
• Less likely to start using drugs or alcohol and engage in problem behavior
• More trust in their parents
• Improved relationship and communication with parents
• Increased over-all sense of self-worth

The benefits of mentoring go both ways.  Mentors report that their mentoring experience improved their lives in meaningful ways.

• Mentoring will make you feel better about yourself for playing an important role in a child’s life.
• Mentoring teaches you about yourself in how you relate with others.
• It is shown to increase a mentor’s sense of responsibility and accomplishment and fosters better relationships with others.

It’s fun and keeps you feeling young!