Blog

Every month, America Forward highlights examples of the vital work being done by our Coalition members to support students, families, educators, workers, elected leaders, advocates, and communities across the country. If your organization has resources, an announcement, or a story you would like to see included, please send it to america_forward@newprofit.org.

January is National Mentoring Month and to celebrate, this month’s Coalition Highlights Blog is focused on uplifting stories and resources from our America Forward Coalition member organizations that are dedicated to supporting and empowering mentors, and delivering transformative mentoring services to students, families, and communities across the country.

City Year

City Year members work every day to provide robust, comprehensive support to the students in their school communities, as they develop the social, emotional, and academic skills necessary to thrive, in the classroom and beyond. To ensure their mentors and community members are also supported, City Year’s blog offers helpful information and resources from a range of perspectives, including tips and guidance from current members, students, partners, and alumni. Read their latest piece, Five qualities that will make you a great mentor, here – and if you know anyone interested in becoming a mentor, they can apply to join City Year AmeriCorps for the 2023-2024 school year here.

College Possible

Through College Possible, AmeriCorps service members are connected with high school and transitioning college students who face disproportionate barriers to college completion, to serve as mentors and help them overcome challenges as they pursue a higher education degree. To make sure prospective College Possible mentors have all the information and resources they need as they consider AmeriCorps service, the organization regularly offers virtual information sessions that cover “available positions, compensation and benefits, what you’ll do as a College Possible coach, and the wealth of sought-after skills and experience you’ll gain throughout your service year.” Check out their upcoming schedule or register for a virtual information session here. 

New Teacher Center

New Teacher Center (NTC) is committed to providing new teachers with mentoring and coaching support in order to accelerate effectiveness and improve student learning. In a recent blog post, Teresa Liu and Leandro Tejada write about the impact that working with their NTC mentors has had on their classroom experience and performance, and in a recent episode of the Innovating Education podcast, NTC founder and former CEO, Ellen Moir, discusses the importance of teacher mentoring and support NTC also provides free and accessible online resources for mentors, educators, and school leaders.

Peace First

Peace First works to “support young people around the world to lead social change in their communities,” providing them with the “training, mentors and funding to turn their ideas into action.” In service of this mission, this month, Peace First announced a new “Meet & Mentor” program. Designed to offer engaging, one-on-one mentoring to Peace First grantees, the program will focus on connecting young people with a Peace First staff member, with the goal of providing “specialized mentoring on specific social issues, as well as an opportunity to engage and network” with the Peace First team. 

YouthBuild USA

YouthBuild “champions today’s opportunity youth who aspire to improve their lives and communities by building the skills and resources to reach their full potential” – and their YouthBuild Mentoring program makes this work possible. The program “boosts academic achievement, assists with career exploration, enhances leadership development, and strengthens connections between YouthBuild students, their own families, communities, and community partners,” by connecting YouthBuild students with mentors who stick with them during their time in YouthBuild and beyond. To further support this work, YouthBuild offers a National Mentoring Alliance Community of Practice database, full of mentoring resources and information for mentors, students, and coordinators/staff. 

The America Forward Coalition supports thousands of mentors working to empower students, educators, workers, and leaders across the country. To learn more about our Coalition member organizations, visit: https://www.americaforward.org/our-coalition/about-our-coalition/