New York City, New York, Mayor Michael Bloomberg
Former Mayor of New York City Michael Bloomberg included youth mentoring in several citywide initiatives with training provided by MENTOR New York. Launched in 2009, NYC Service aimed to set higher standards in tackling the city’s most pressing challenges through volunteerism to strengthen communities; help neighbors in need; improve education; protect the environment; increase public health; and enhance emergency preparedness. Systemized and less expensive criminal background checks were a part of this initiative. Bloomberg’s Young Men’s Initiative to reclaim the lives of New York’s young men of color included Cornerstone programs that offered mentoring at sites in Brooklyn, Manhattan, the Bronx, and Queens. Finally, NYC Success Mentors, which has been highlighted at a variety of MENTOR events, is a research-based, data-driven mentoring model that seeks to improve attendance, behavior and educational outcomes for students at risk in low-income communities. This was the largest public school-based mentoring effort in the country and has resulted in an increase in thousands of school days for New York City students.
New York City, New York, Mayor Bill de Blasio
In support of New York City schools, Mayor de Blasio created The Community Schools initiative, a resource supporting youth and their families to help them achieve their best selves. As a part of this initiative, youth are matched with AmeriCorps mentors who serve as role models and provide guidance throughout their school experience. A main focus of the mentoring component is improving chronic absenteeism and promoting increased school engagement. 128 schools and counting are affiliated with the initiative, with over 2500 youth ultimately experiencing the benefits of a mentoring relationship. In 2015, Mayor de Blasio has made several calls to action to citizens and businesses in New York City, asking them to help strengthen the local community by investing in mentoring. Sharing his belief in the power of mentoring in a recent statement Mayor de Blasio can be quoted as saying, “A few hours a week to impact one life — one life to change countless others. And you have the power and the opportunity to make that difference.”