Why Mentoring Children Matters

Description

Why should we care about mentoring children? When adults mentor children, everybody wins. Children do better in school, in relationships, and in all of life. We’ve discovered in our research on mentoring and healthy leaders that childhood mentors can play a pivotal role in leadership development. And, as we’ve studied what it takes to flourish in the third third of life, we’ve learned that adult mentors are happier and healthier, scoring significantly better on physical and cognitive tests. They discover new purpose that fills their life with meaning.

But many who are open to mentoring aren’t quite sure how to develop relationships with young people, especially if the adults are not parents or grandparents. Kids Hope USA is ready to help. This wonderful organization connects Christian churches to their neighborhood elementary and middle schools. It helps these schools operate a proven and established school-based mentoring program. Kids Hope USA equips churches to mobilize volunteer mentors who meet with students once a week and develop one-on-one mentoring relationships. The result is transformative relationships with caring, consistent adults, which empower students to thrive while also helping the mentors to flourish. Everybody wins: students, mentors, families, schools, communities, and churches.

At the De Pree Center, we believe that mentoring is an effective strategy for developing the next generation of healthy marketplace leaders. Plus, we’re also committed to helping leaders like you flourish. Scripture promises that those who are righteous will flourish, even in old age (Psalm 92:12-14). One main way you can flourish is by mentoring others, whether they’re emerging leaders, mature managers, or, as in the case of Kids Hope USA, children in neighborhood schools.

On Thursday, September 7th, we will be hosting a webinar so you can learn about the work of Kids Hope USA. We are pleased to welcome Dr. Karen Pearson, the President of Kids Hope USA. We are eager to learn more about the work of this fine organization and to get to know Karen and her story. We wonder: How and why did a chemistry professor and college administrator become the leader of an organization that’s all about building relationships between adults and children?