DELAWARE STATE SENATE

152nd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 8

RECOGNIZING JANUARY 2023 AS "NATIONAL MENTORING MONTH" IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, mentoring is an innovative, evidence-based practice and is both a prevention and an intervention strategy that can support young people of all demographics and backgrounds in all aspects of their lives; and

WHEREAS, m entoring programs have been found to positively impact many aspects of mental well-being, including reducing unhealthy coping mechanisms, improving interpersonal relationships, and reducing parental stress;

and

WHEREAS, quality mentoring fosters positive life and social skills, promotes self-esteem, bolsters academic achievement and college access, supports career exploration, and nurtures youth leadership development; and

WHEREAS, mentoring programs have been shown to have a significant, positive impact on youth academic achievement, school connectedness and engagement, and educational success, which leads to outcomes such as improved attendance, grades and test scores, and classroom behavior; and

WHEREAS, youth development experts agree that mentoring encourages positive youth development and smart daily behaviors, such as finishing homework and having healthy social interactions, and has a positive impact on the growth and success of a young person; and

WHEREAS, mentoring relationships for youth facing risk, such as foster youth, can have a positive impact on a wide range of factors, including mental health, educational functioning and attainment, peer relationships, employment, and housing stability; and

WHEREAS, as part of juvenile justice and violence prevention efforts, mentoring offers comprehensive support to youth at risk for committing violence or victimization, and addresses many risk factors at once; and

WHEREAS, one third of young people in the United States do not have someone outside of the home to offer real life guidance and support; and

WHEREAS, this “mentoring gap” demonstrates the need for collaboration among the private, public, and nonprofit sectors to increase support for mentoring programs for youth in communities, schools, and workplaces.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 152nd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the month of January 2023 is designated “National Mentoring Month” in the State of Delaware.

SYNOPSIS

This resolution recognizes January 2023 as "National Mentoring Month" in the State of Delaware.

Author: Senator Lockman