APH CareerConnect® applauds a telling survey recently conducted by the National Mentoring Partnership which, according to their report, finds that one in three young people reach adulthood without ever receiving help or support from a mentor. This compelling report, The Mentoring Effect, “is the first-ever nationally representative survey of young people on the topic of both informal and formal mentoring.â Simply put, it finds that âyouth with mentors experience [greater] significant positive outcomesâ than those who do not receive mentoring.
Being that CareerConnect, the career education and exploration program of the American Foundation for the Blind, has its own long term active mentoring program we were not surprised to see these results. The helpful mentors of CareerConnect work in over 300 occupational fields. They are here to help any blind or visually impaired youth in transition, as well as adults with vision loss that are trying to get back to work, climb the ladder, or change careers.
APH CareerConnect® mentors have often acquired a wealth of knowledge and first-hand experience that would benefit blind or visually impaired job-seekers as they search out their own particular path to independence.
January, National Mentoring Month, would be a great time to check out our CareerConnect Mentors. And, if you are an adult with vision loss who has employment experience we think National Mentoring Month would also be a great time to welcome you into the CareerConnect family as a mentor where you can give the gift of your knowledge and experience. You, too, can help blind and visually impaired adults and students in transition to succeed in achieving independence in their lives by reaching their career goals.
Read more about becoming an APH CareerConnect mentor. Also, Visit CareerConnectâs Making Connection section, and find out about contacting mentors who are blind or visually impaired.
Our expectation for young people and adults who are blind or visually impaired is that they will be helped with career exploration and education through this online program and our mentors. This, combined with great transition teaching will allow those who are blind or visually impaired to be more engaged, better prepared, and more ready to work than those who do not take advantage of mentoring opportunities.
Visit APH CareerConnect to learn more about mentoring, and visit “The Mentoring Effect” to view the full report.