MENTOR

Innovation starts with listening to what young people and communities need most.

Congratulations to MENTOR Minnesota, recipient of MENTOR's inaugural Innovative Impact Award.

Through its Mental Health Ambassador Program, developed in partnership with the University of Minnesota, MENTOR Minnesota is equipping youth and adults with the knowledge and confidence to support youth mental health and connect young people to additional resources when they need them.

Learn how MENTOR Minnesota turned a community need into lasting impact: https://www.mentormn.org/mental-health-ambassadors

Research shows that young people who feel a sense of belonging are more likely to thrive. That kind of impact starts with intentional leadership.

Congratulations to Sophia Duck, Training & Engagement Manager at The Mentoring Partnership of Southwestern Pennsylvania, recipient of MENTOR's inaugural You Belong Here Award.

As a founding member and longtime chair of the Committee on Racial Equity (CORE), Sophia has helped shape initiatives that strengthen belonging across our Affiliate Network, from developing racial equity onboarding resources to organizing Network-wide learning opportunities and guiding CORE through periods of transition.

Thank you, Sophia, for your steady leadership and unwavering commitment to creating a Network where people feel valued, supported, and empowered to contribute.

Behind every strong mentoring movement are people whose leadership often goes unseen.

This year at MENTOR Con, we changed that by introducing our inaugural Affiliate Leadership Awards, recognizing leaders whose dedication, innovation, and collaboration are strengthening mentoring across our Network and the field.

Throughout the week, we'll introduce each recipient and celebrate the impact they're making in their communities and in the lives of young people.

We hope you'll join us in recognizing these outstanding leaders.

Three questions every mentoring program can ask this :

- Are our events and activities accessible?
- Do young people see themselves represented?
- Are we designing programs with young people with disabilities, not just for them?

Meaningful inclusion is an ongoing practice. Explore resources to help strengthen your program: https://bit.ly/inclusion26