January is a very unique month, it signifies the start to a new year, as well as the traditional commitment to a resolution or two, and the remembrance of Dr. Martin Luther King’s legacy. However, what very few people know about January is that it is also National Mentoring Month.
“Mentoring is to support and encourage people to manage their own learning in order that they may maximize their potential, develop their skills, improve their performance and become the person they want to be.”
Think of where you are today and how you got there. Did you have a mentor or could you have benefitted from a role model dedicated to helping you navigate the pitfalls of growing up.
The highlight of National Mentoring Month is “Thank Your Mentor Day”, this year it was celebrated on January 16th. During this day people are encouraged to contact their mentors directly to express appreciation, become a mentor in their own community, make a financial contribution to a local mentoring program, or post a tribute on whomentoredyou.org.
To be a mentor, you don’t need special skills, just an ability to listen and to offer friendship, guidance and encouragement to a young person. And you’ll be amazed by how much you’ll get out of the experience.
Mentoring happens in a number of settings:
• The community.
• Schools.
• The faith-based community.
• Business.
• Through the Internet.
So during this month of new beginnings and resolutions take a moment to thank those who were instrumental in empowering you to be who you are.