LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: LOTS OF OPTIONS FOR MENTORING

To the editor:

I read with interest your recent article about the Leadership Cape Girardeau graduation, and I want to extend my congratulations to all who have gone through this fine program. This effort will ensure that the leaders of Cape Girardeau will be well-informed and have a better understanding of the resources and needs of the area.

I was interested in the "Facing Tomorrow" project and the proposal for developing a mentoring network. I couldn't agree more that mentoring is a great solution in providing support for youths and individuals of all ages. It is a research-based and proven method of helping to build confidence and self-esteem as well as providing a role model for life skills and experiences.

I would like to call attention to the fact that there are already a number of mentoring programs in place and very strongly urge that these programs be utilized rather than going out and reinventing the wheel, so to speak. After almost a year's work by a dedicated steering committee, the Big Brother-Big Sister program is being implemented in Cape Girardeau County. The goal of the program is to provide mentors for 150 to 200 youths in the coming year. Community support is essential, and recruitment already has begun to find the mentors needed to make this program as successful as it can be. I would respectfully ask that members of Leadership Cape Girardeau direct their energies to support this most worthwhile program by becoming mentors or by helping to recruit individuals from businesses and civic clubs to serve as mentors. The Big Brother-Big Sister organization already has a procedure in place for training volunteers and making the match between a youth and a caring adult.

Other mentoring programs associated with the Community Caring Council:

Inter-Agency Staffing Team Mentoring Program: This has been in place for more than six years and has been providing mentors for youths who are risk of out-of-home placement. Of the 64 youths staffed last year, only four went to placement. This year, the eligibility for the program was extended to include youths who are in danger of entering the juvenile-justice system. This was incorporated as a result of the Parent and Child Together program, a juvenile delinquency prevention grant program developed in conjunction with the Caring Council and the police department.

Missouri Mentoring Partnership: This program assists youths between the ages of 16 and 22 with finding and keeping employment, focusing on on-the-job mentoring. The program works with 135 businesses and employers. This year the program worked with more than 120 youths. A second component is a teen parent mentor program with a mission to provide life skills for pregnant teens that will ultimately lead to self-sufficiency. The MMP program last year won a national award for excellence.

Project HOPE: Just started in March, this is a faith-based mentoring program that matches mentoring teams from area churches with individuals moving from welfare to work. A one-year commitment is made by each participant and team to work together on goals that will lead to self-sufficiency. The program works closely with participants who complete the Jump Start on Jobs program. Although this program is for adults, it addresses the issue from holistic perspective, which includes finding resources for children in the family as well.

We ask so much of our citizens who are our leaders. Their time and energy are precious commodities. It would make sense to utilize, support and build upon existing programs and services rather than spend valuable time in developing something that may duplicate what is already in place.

SHIRLEY RAMSEY

Executive Director

Community Caring Council

Cape Girardeau