New Mentoring Program at Northwest Family YMCA

Become a Mentor….Change 2 Lives!
Northwest Y in Kennesaw Begins New Program

Kennesaw, Georgia (November 13, 2013) --- Reach & Rise is a new mentoring program offered through the Northwest Family YMCA in Kennesaw. The program is a response to community needs.

“We see many kids who could benefit from a program like this,” says Jude Dooley, executive director of the Northwest Y on Dennis Kemp Lane. “Thanks to a two-year grant, we are able to respond to local needs and have a positive impact on children and teens in our immediate area.”

Reach & Rise Mentoring Program Director Charlie Chacos says the program is for young people who simply need time with positive adults. “Kids who could benefit from this program may have a single parent household or simply two parents who work long hours and don’t have additional time to engage with their kids,” he says.

“The first group of mentors is being recruited and trained now,” Chacos says. “We would like to be underway during the holidays, because many people have extra time to volunteer, and the mentoring activities would be a constructive use of time for young people.”

Reach & Rise is a national YMCA program designed to build a better future for youth by helping them reach their full potential through the support of caring adults. The program supports youth ages 6 to 17 who are in need of role models and who may be struggling with low self-esteem, depression, bullying, and who live in single-parent household and are in need of a mentor. The program is not for young people with mental or criminal problems, because those services are available elsewhere, according to Chacos.

Chacos says adult mentors will provide a positive and consistent relationship with a young person, helping to improve their mentee’s self-confidence, decision-making skills, school performance and interpersonal relationships.

U.S. Department of Justice research shows that youth are five times more likely to graduate from high school if they have a meaningful relationship with an adult. Kids who have mentors are nearly 50 percent less likely to use drugs.  

“I worked in a juvenile residential treatment facility for more than 10 years,” says Chacos. “There, I learned first-hand that young people need positive adult role models to listen to them and guide them as they learn to make good decisions.”

With Reach & Rise, volunteer mentors are matched with a young person for one year to provide one-to-one mentoring services and create safe, healthy and meaningful relationships with youth. Mentors and mentees will participate in local volunteer service projects and other engaging activities.

Mentors say they gain personal satisfaction from making a difference in a young person’s life. They also have the opportunity to connect with kids and teens from different cultures and back­grounds. Together, they share diverse experiences, develop a stronger sense of belonging within the community and create lasting memories and relationships.

“The ideal Reach & Rise mentor is a dependable, responsible adult who wants to share new interests and experiences with young people,” Chacos says. “Mentors are friends, counselors, role models, supporters and guides. They can listen, respect different points of view and empathize with a child’s struggles.”

Mentors must be at least 23 years old, pass a fingerprint security screening and background check, complete a 15-hour training, have a clean driving record and valid auto insurance. Mentors agree to spend one to three hours a week for one year with a mentee.

The Y is a powerful association of men, women and children joined together by a shared commitment to nurturing the potential of kids, promoting healthy living and fostering a sense of social responsibility. Every day, we work side-by-side with our neighbors to make sure everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow and connect.

For information contact Chacos at 770-423-9622 or charlesc@ymcaatlanta.org.