Mentor Connection

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Mentoring makes a difference in young people’s lives. It broadens their horizons and helps them to build stronger relationships with with their family, their teachers, and their peers. Research shows that young people who have mentors perform better in school and have higher attendance rates, and are less likely to use drugs, alcohol, and violence to deal with stress.

Mentoring provides young people, known as mentees, with the opportunity to explore their own interests and the abundant resources of their community with a new friend and a fresh perspective. They learn about future opportunities in higher education and the workforce while also getting additional support with academics. Above all, mentoring provides young people with a trusted friend to help them problem solve life’s inherent challenges and to work together to set and reach their goals. As one of our matches describes in the Boston College Chronicle, mentoring can have a tremendous influence on both the adult and the teen even over just a short period of time.

Mentor Connection matches middle and high school students from the Newton community with adult volunteers to build meaningful, lasting relationships that support and encourage youth while helping them to identify and work towards achieving their goals.

13,000 young people in Massachusetts have mentors. What’s holding you back?

Young people are referred to the program by guidance counselors, teachers, and parents because they need a little extra support and guidance from an adult role model. In collaboration with the National Mentoring Partnership, the Mass Mentoring Partnership and The Newton Partnership, Mentor Connection provides this support and additional programming to help young people overcome many different kinds of challenges. In addition to providing overall support and guidance to young people in the Newton community, Mentor Connection particularly aims to serve youth who are struggling with social, emotional and/or behavioral issues, substance abuse and aggression.

To become a Youth Mentee >

Reach out. Make a Difference. Mentor a Teen.

Mentors are caring adults who want to make a difference in the life of a young person. Our mentors range in age from 21 to 75 and they come from all different professional, cultural, geographic, religious and ethnic backgrounds. A mentor does not act as a social worker, a teacher or a parent, but rather as a compassionate friend and role model. Whether you are a working professional, a graduate student, a parent, or a retired adult – everyone has something they can share with a young person. Mentors often report that they are amazed by the positive impact the relationship has on all aspects of their lives.

In 2005, a national mentoring poll conducted by MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership showed that 44 million adults would consider becoming mentors and 96% of current mentors would recommend mentoring to a friend.

To become a volunteer Mentor>

This project is made possible by a Safe Schools/Healthy Students grant to the Newton Public Schools and the members of The Newton Partnership, funded by the U.S. Departments of Education, Health & Human Services, and Justice (CFDA # 84.184L).