News & Events

Highlights

Alberta Mentoring Partnership

Volunteer Alberta removes barriers to volunteering as a contractor for initiatives such as the Alberta Mentoring Partnership. For more information on this program, please see the news release below.

 

News Release


September 23, 2009
Campaign recognizes important role of mentors in lives of children; encourages Albertans to volunteer

Edmonton... Making mentoring a way of life is the goal behind a new awareness campaign that encourages Albertans to become actively engaged as mentors for children and youth in their communities.

“Mentoring clearly makes a difference in helping children and youth experience success both in school and as they transition to adulthood,” said Dave Hancock, Minister of Education. “The government is very proud to be a partner and supporter of the Alberta Mentoring Partnership (AMP).”

The campaign is part of a three-year initiative to strengthen mentoring activities and supports in the province. The Alberta Mentoring Partnership, which includes government and community agencies, is working to help build a culture of mentoring in Alberta by increasing awareness and collaboration, creating innovative mentoring policies and sharing effective practices.

“Mentoring is incredibly powerful,” said Janis Tarchuk, Minister of Children and Youth Services. “There are children and youth in every community who need a mentor, and getting involved and sharing time with them can change their lives for the better.”

The provincewide multimedia marketing campaign, which runs until the end of December, consists of print, online and television ads showcasing a mentor interacting with a young person. The campaign slogan is “To be a mentor, you don’t need superhuman qualities, just human ones,” which profiles the fact that adults don’t need to be celebrities or superheroes to make a positive and lasting difference in the lives of children and youth. The campaign also reinforces that mentoring doesn’t always take a lot of time - as little as an hour a week can make a difference.

“Mentors are everyday, good people who want to help improve the lives of young people,” said Liz O’Neill, Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters Society of Edmonton & Area and one of the AMP’s three co-chairs. “This campaign emphasizes how our children and youth can benefit from these positive role models.”

Mentors are needed throughout the province, particularly in rural areas. There are currently far more children and youth waiting for a mentor than there are mentors available. In addition to the marketing campaign, AMP is also launching a new website, www.albertamentors.ca, where Albertans can find information about mentoring and how to get involved in their communities. Mentoring organizations can also go to this site for resources to help them in their everyday work.

For more information about mentoring in Alberta and to view the campaign materials, visit www.albertamentors.ca.

-30-

Backgrounder: About the Alberta Mentoring Partnership

The Alberta Mentoring Partnership (AMP) brings together 29 partners in the first association of its kind in Canada. The team includes Alberta government ministries, government-funded organizations, community agencies and youth representation. Launched in June 2008, the partnership is co-chaired by Alberta Children and Youth Services, Alberta Education, and the Big Brothers Big Sisters Society of Edmonton & Area.

Mentoring is widely recognized as providing a positive contribution to building strong, safe and healthy communities. When young people have positive adult role models, they have improved attitudes about school, are less likely to display volatile behaviours and have better peer and family relationships. A strong mentorship program will help Alberta’s youth develop the confidence, self-esteem and social skills they need to be productive members of society.

The AMP is working to advance mentoring in Alberta by connecting interested adults with mentoring opportunities in their communities and promoting ways that organizations across every sector of society - businesses, governments, schools and non-profit agencies - can work together to expand high-quality mentoring for young people.

The partnership is also raising awareness of the benefits of mentoring relationships and collaborating to increase mentoring opportunities for children and youth. Key strategies of the AMP include:

The AMP addresses a recommended action from Alberta’s Crime Reduction and Safe Communities Task Force in its November 2007 Keeping Communities Safe report: schools, communities and the provincial government should work together to expand mentoring programs for children and youth at risk.

The Alberta government, through 10 partner ministries, is contributing a total of $3.7 million over three years toward the project, including $1.2 million from the Safe Communities Initiative.

For more information, visit www.albertamentors.ca.

The above document has been posted to the Government of Alberta website to view this document online and/or additional information/backgrounder. http://www.alberta.ca//acn/200909/26953E748C369-C024-A7F2-579F3F330A909788.html


Back