PATHWAYS! Jan. 2021

The Irreplaceable Value of Mentoring

 January is National Mentoring Month and we are proud to celebrate our mentors! At New Pathways for Youth, January is about showing gratitude for the unstoppable commitment our volunteer mentors have made. While this past year surely elicited many emotions for us all, as we reflect on 2020, we are filled with immense appreciation for our mentors as they provided essential services in 2020 to meet educational, safety, and well-being supports for our youth which were more critical than ever.

Slowing down our work was never an option in 2020, and our mentors courageously stepped forward to provide essential support as our youth navigated many new circumstances. Our mentors navigated the journey with each youth and their unique educational, safety and wellbeing needs in a pandemic while navigating the unknown. They guided skillfully so that our youth improved leadership skills, decreased delinquent behaviors, improved academics, etc.  When support was needed, our mentors reached out, and our staff and board were at the ready to connect them with critical services and resources. Our collective commitment to our youth and our mission ensured we were able to meet those challenges with a purposeful and principled response.

We learned so much this past year about the value of who we have. When we come together as a collective group, a group that believes in guiding growth and personal development for the youth we serve, we are truly powerful. And that is indeed something to celebrate—and celebrating the mentors who made make it possible is a worthy of year-round celebration!

You can join us in celebrating National Mentoring Month by inviting a friend or colleague to learn more about becoming a mentor at a Mentor Introduction session – or attending one yourself. You can sign up here.

The Power of Asking for Support

Bryana and her mentor, Briana have a lot more in common than just their name! They have been matched for three years and taken on lots of growth, obstacles, and opportunities along the way. “She’s helped me to see the world in a different way,” Briana (mentor) said. “She’s helped me grow as a person – to learn new things as she takes on her goals.”

This year, Bryana (youth) has been focusing on the big, new transition of high school. Like many in our program, virtual learning was very new to her and looked quite different than her typical school environment—on top of the pivotal development stage of moving from middle to high school.

Along with being intentional about study structure, Bryana is working on being an advocate for herself. Bryana is learning about asking for support and finding new ways to get help with her assignments when she needs it. Together, with their New Pathways case manager, they have built systems of support and accessed others that are present in her life, expanding her network, building essential skills, and clarifying her commitment toward high school graduation.

You can support Bryana and other youth in our program with an investment that’s eligible for a dollar-for-dollar tax credit. With the change in tax credit legislation, contributions made up until 4/15/2021 can be claimed on 2020’s taxes- consult your tax professional for more information. You can learn more here about New Pathways and the Arizona Charitable Tax Credit here.

RSVP for our Annual Breakfast

When youth are provided a safe, nurturing environment and are tended to with care, their capacity for growth is powerful. And when we all share our unique talents, experiences, expertise, and resources to nurture this growth, our capacity to spark individual and community transformation is unstoppable.

We hope you’ll join us for a powerful and interactive virtual community gathering on the morning of Feb. 23, 2021. You’ll have a front-row seat (in the comfort and safety of your home) to members of our community sharing their story and celebrating our collective power.

You can learn more about the event, reserve your virtual seat and consider a sponsorship or donation at NPFY.org/breakfast.

Brought to You By These Incredible Investors!