Reno – The Community Foundation of Western Nevada has launched a new program that helps connect youth mentoring agencies in need to volunteers, individuals and businesses seeking volunteer opportunities.
Nevada Mentors is a comprehensive resource of youth mentoring organizations in northern Nevada looking for volunteers to assist with fulfilling a shortage of mentors in the area. A community in need of mentors means that there are waiting lists for young people hoping to be paired with a person who can guide them in school, social situations and life in general.
There are currently nine organizations as part of the Nevada Mentors program, and that number will likely grow. Current organizations include: Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada; Boys and Girls Club of Truckee Meadows: Be Great Graduate Program; Dean’s Future Scholars; Eddy House: Cliff Climbers; Junior Achievement of Northern Nevada; The Trident Network at Sparks High School; Youth First Reno/Sparks; 360 Blueprint and the Washoe CASA Foundation. Potential volunteers can choose to work with groups or one-to-one with individuals of many age ranges, and participation can range anywhere from twice a month or more.
“Nevada Mentors was formed to be a central location for potential mentors to find the information they need about mentoring, as well as be matched with the program that is right for them,” said Nick Tscheekar, initiatives director. “A mentor is the one person in a child or youth’s life who can truly make a difference.”
According to The National Mentoring Partnership, 1 in 3 young people will grow up without a mentor. In addition, the Corporation for National & Community Service ranks Nevada as 49 out of 50 states for volunteering and civic engagement, citing only 19.4 percent of residents volunteered in 2014.
Mentoring ensures that young people grow up knowing there is someone who cares about them, someone who will listen to what they have to say and encourage them to achieve their goals.
“Mentoring can have positive impacts on a child’s education, daily life and their future,” said Tscheekar.
Pablo, a mentor for four years, says, “Mentoring has given me several treasure chests full that are greater than gold. If you give for the sake of the other, watch how you will be rewarded with a multitude of happy times.”
His mentee, Rosean said, “After we moved to Reno, it was a big adjustment, and we were homeless. We bounced from place to place, sometimes with barely enough food to eat. Pablo invited me in and made me feel welcome. We had fun but also talked about important life stuff. I was accepted and made friends. It wasn’t like I always had to be alone anymore.”
Nevada Mentors is actively seeking volunteers. “We are launching an outreach program to individuals, retirees and working professionals in hopes to recruit more volunteers,” said Camille Glanzmann, associate initiatives director. “For many people who don’t have a lot of free time on their hands, some of the programs that need mentors require a fairly low time commitment to help make a difference in someone’s life,” she said.
Anyone with good listening skills and a desire to obtain more civic or community engagement in their lives can find the program that is right for them at NevadaMentors.org; by calling the Community Foundation of Western Nevada at 775.333.5499 between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m., Monday through Friday; or emailing info@nevadafund.org to apply and get involved.
About Nevada Mentors
Nevada Mentors is a project of the Community Foundation of Western Nevada’s Youth Network Initiative (You’N-I). The goal of the Community Foundation and its programs is to strengthen the community through philanthropy and leadership by Connecting People Who Care With Causes That Matter. For more information, visit nevadafund.org.