Bill Text: PA SR16 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month, January 2011.

Spectrum: Bipartisan Bill

Status: (Passed) 2011-01-25 - Introduced and adopted [SR16 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-SR16-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 219
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE RESOLUTION
No. 16 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY LEACH, FONTANA, TARTAGLIONE, KASUNIC, STACK, WILLIAMS, GREENLEAF, D. WHITE, M. WHITE, ALLOWAY, COSTA, RAFFERTY, KITCHEN, EARLL, ORIE, ERICKSON, PIPPY, PILEGGI, BREWSTER, BAKER, DINNIMAN AND SMUCKER, JANUARY 25, 2011
INTRODUCED AND ADOPTED, JANUARY 25, 2011
A RESOLUTION
Supporting the goals and ideals of National Mentoring Month,
January 2011.
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring is a longstanding concept
in which a dependable adult provides guidance, support and
encouragement to facilitate a young person's social, emotional
and cognitive development; and
WHEREAS, High-quality, evidence-based mentoring promotes
positive outcomes for young people, including an increased sense
of industry and competency, a boost in academic performance and
self-esteem and improved social and communications skills; and
WHEREAS, Research shows that participation in a high-quality,
evidence-based mentoring relationship successfully reduces the
incidence of violence, delinquency, substance abuse and academic
failure in young people; and
WHEREAS, Research also shows that participation in a high-
quality, evidence-based mentoring relationship dramatically
reduces dependence on social services and results in a cost
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benefit to this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring, in addition to being
beneficial for those being mentored, is also extremely rewarding
for those serving as mentors; and
WHEREAS, Quality programs that encourage young people to
learn about evidence-based mentoring and to become mentors, such
as programs that recruit high school students to mentor younger
children, are important and have the potential to create high-
quality mentors at an early age; and
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring relationships have grown
dramatically in the past 15 years, now reaching 3,000 young
Pennsylvanians, because of the remarkable creativity, vigor and
resourcefulness of evidence-based mentoring programs and
volunteer mentors in communities throughout this Commonwealth;
and
WHEREAS, In spite of the progress made to increase evidence-
based mentoring, this Commonwealth has a serious "mentoring
gap," with thousands of young people currently in need of
mentors; and
WHEREAS, A recent study confirmed that one of the most
critical challenges that evidence-based mentoring programs face
is recruiting enough mentors to help close the mentoring gap;
and
WHEREAS, A month-long celebration of evidence-based mentoring
will be held during the month of January to encourage more
individuals and organizations, including schools, businesses,
nonprofit organizations, faith institutions and foundations, to
become engaged in evidence-based mentoring across this
Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, National Mentoring Month will be celebrated
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throughout January 2011, in order to build awareness of
evidence-based mentoring and recruit more individuals to become
mentors, thus helping close our nation's mentoring gap;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the Senate of Pennsylvania:
(1) support the goals and ideals of National Mentoring
Month, January 2011;
(2) acknowledge the diligent efforts of individuals and
groups who promote evidence-based mentoring and who are
observing National Mentoring Month 2011 with appropriate
ceremonies and activities to further promote awareness of and
volunteer involvement with youth mentoring;
(3) recognize with gratitude the contributions of the
millions of caring adults and students who are already
volunteering as mentors; and
(4) encourage more adults and students to volunteer as
mentors.
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