ROLE OF A STATE PARTNERSHIP
What State Mentoring Partnership's Do?
The Connecticut Mentoring Partnership exists to bring mentoring to scale statewide. Our primary role is to increase the number of youth in formal mentoring relationships. We work to:
- Raise public awareness
Through partnerships with NBC30, Infinity, Buckley Radio and others, we create a statewide media campaign during January, National Mentoring Month, and throughout the year, to raise awareness of and the need for mentoring. The campaign directs interested individuals to the toll-free number, 1-877-CT-MENTOR, to get more information on mentoring and ties into a database of mentoring programs statewide.
- Recruit and refer mentors
Mentoring organizations from all sectors (school-based, faith-based, community-based, etc.) benefit from the statewide mentor recruitment campaign. The CMP also provides additional resources and services to assist businesses and community groups to recruit their workforce or membership to serve as mentors and match the prospective mentors with appropriate mentoring opportunities. The CMP has also createe a statewide database of quality mentoring programs to refer all other prospective individual volunteers.
- Develop new mentoring resources
Generate public and private sector resources in order to build and expand the capacity of front-line service providers.
- Advocate and promote public policies and legislation that strengthen mentoring
Mentoring advocacy fact sheets
- Provide affordable, accessible training and technical assistance
The CMP offers training for groups wishing to start or strengthen their mentoring programs . We also provide technical assistance to organizations interested in starting, strengthening or expanding a quality mentoring program.
- Collect and track data
The CMP evaluates the impact of mentoring on student outcomes and attitudes. In partnership with the University of Connecticut in 2004/05, we surveyed over 500 mentees, 360 mentors and 45 program coordinators. See Executive Summary.
