Advocate

Advocate for Mentoring

During the 113th Congress, several key issues affecting mentoring opportunities and mentoring programs are at stake—including funding for mentoring, passage of the Child Protection Improvements Act that impacts background checks for individuals volunteering with or employed by mentoring programs, and inclusion of mentoring in the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA).

The mentoring community is working in together to secure funding for mentoring programs. A coalition of leaders from national youth mentoring organizations as well as mentoring champions in the U.S. House of Representatives have asked that $100 million be included in the federal fiscal year 2014 budget for the U.S. Department of Justice’s Youth Mentoring Grants program. In the past, our strength as a coalition has been successful in quadrupling this type of funding, and in creating a pilot background check program. But we have more work ahead of us if we are to bring quality mentoring opportunities to more young people.

Your voice is critical in these efforts. Legislators listen to the views of their constituents. That means you have the power to influence the outcome of legislation, simply by communicating your views to your legislators.

Learn more about our Legislative Agenda for the 13th Congress and join the Advocacy Network to receive email updates on mentoring issues.

Get informed, make your voice heard, and take action today!

• Information on background checks.
• Information on funding for mentoring.
• Information on other issues affecting mentoring. 
• Tips on writing to Congress.