School-Based Mentoring: A Daily Difference - The Governor's Prevention Partnership

Our Mission

The Governor’s Prevention Partnership is dedicated to expanding and enhancing mentoring programs to empower young people through mentor-mentee relationships. We provide comprehensive training and personalized technical assistance on school-based mentoring to school administrators, staff, and volunteer mentors. These efforts support successful mentoring programs during the school day supporting improved student outcomes. Our public and private supporters, such as the State Department of Education, allow us to collaborate with districts across the state to bring resources to local schools.

Why Mentoring is Essential

An estimated 1 in 3 youth could benefit from a mentor but don’t have one. Research shows that mentoring can significantly enhance academic performance, emotional resilience, and social connections. However, an estimated 119,000 young people in Connecticut are disengaged and disconnected. This can lead to chronic absenteeism, delinquency, and substance misuse. Even with more than 100 mentoring programs in Connecticut, it is essential to expand access to crucial mentoring resources.

What We Provide

Each school-based program is unique and our training and technical assistance is designed to meet the needs of individual schools. Our support for school-based mentoring focuses on several key areas:

Program Readiness Assessment: We evaluate mentoring programs to ensure they align with evidence-based practices, including effective recruitment, training, and on-going support.
Comprehensive Training: We deliver proven strategies based on The Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™, equipping mentors and staff with the tools they need to succeed.
Everyday Mentoring Expansion: We empower community members, parents, caregivers, teachers, and local leaders to actively participate in mentoring youth in their daily lives.
Connection Building: We cultivate supportive environments where mentees and mentors can grow and thrive personally and academically.

The Impact of Mentoring

Mentoring is crucial for helping young people gain confidence, set and achieve goals, and navigate life’s challenges. Data shows that mentoring improves overall attendance, reduces risky behaviors, and increases positive school engagement.

Youth with a mentor are:

55% more likely to be enrolled in college
130% more likely to hold a leadership position in a club or sports team
78% more likely to volunteer regularly in their communities
90% more likely to be interested in becoming mentors themselves.

Bridging the Gap

Despite the clear benefits of mentoring, many young people in Connecticut still lack adequate support. The 2019 Connecticut School Health Survey revealed that one-third of students did not have an adult at school to turn to for help. This partnership seeks to close that gap by increasing the number of school-based mentoring programs and continuing to provide the highest quality of training to school-based mentoring programs where they already exist.

Join Us in Making a Difference

Together, we can transform lives. Get Involved Today!