PRINTER'S NO. 147
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
38
Session of
2017
INTRODUCED BY MURT, READSHAW, BAKER, BOBACK, DEAN, DiGIROLAMO,
DRISCOLL, DUSH, FREEMAN, HENNESSEY, KINSEY, LONGIETTI,
MACKENZIE, MATZIE, McNEILL, O'BRIEN, PASHINSKI, RYAN,
SCHWEYER, SONNEY, STAATS AND TOOHIL, JANUARY 24, 2017
INTRODUCED AS NONCONTROVERSIAL RESOLUTION UNDER RULE 35,
JANUARY 24, 2017
A RESOLUTION
Recognizing the month of January 2017 as "National Mentoring
Month" in Pennsylvania.
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring is a longstanding concept
in which a dependable adult provides guidance, support and
encouragement to facilitate a young person's social, emotional
and cognitive development; and
WHEREAS, High-quality, evidence-based mentoring promotes
positive outcomes for young people, including an increased sense
of industry and competency, a boost in academic performance and
self-esteem and improved social and communications skills; and
WHEREAS, Research shows that participation in a high-quality,
evidence-based mentoring relationship successfully reduces the
incidence of violence, delinquency, substance abuse and academic
failure in young people; and
WHEREAS, Research also shows that participation in a high-
quality, evidence-based mentoring relationship dramatically
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reduces dependence on social services and results in a cost
benefit to the Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring, in addition to being
beneficial for those being mentored, is also extremely rewarding
for those serving as mentors; and
WHEREAS, Quality programs that encourage young people to
learn about evidence-based mentoring and to become mentors,
including programs that recruit high school students to mentor
younger children, are important and have the potential to create
high-quality mentors at an early age; and
WHEREAS, Evidence-based mentoring relationships have grown
dramatically in the past 15 years, now reaching 12,000 young
Pennsylvanians, because of the remarkable creativity, vigor and
resourcefulness of evidence-based mentoring programs and
volunteer mentors in communities throughout this Commonwealth;
and
WHEREAS, In spite of the progress made to increase evidence-
based mentoring, this Commonwealth has a serious mentoring gap,
with thousands of young people currently in need of mentors; and
WHEREAS, A recent study confirmed that one of the most
critical challenges that evidence-based mentoring programs face
is recruiting enough mentors to help close the mentoring gap;
and
WHEREAS, The monthlong celebration of evidence-based
mentoring encourages more individuals and organizations,
including schools, businesses, nonprofit organizations, faith
institutions and foundations, to become engaged in evidence-
based mentoring across this Commonwealth; and
WHEREAS, "National Mentoring Month" builds awareness of
evidence-based mentoring and recruits more individuals to become
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mentors, thus helping to close our nation's mentoring gap; and
WHEREAS, The House of Representatives recognizes, with
gratitude, the contributions of the millions of caring adults
and students who are already volunteering as mentors and
encourage more adults and students to volunteer as mentors;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives recognize the
month of January 2017 as "National Mentoring Month," acknowledge
the diligent efforts of individuals and groups who are promoting
evidence-based mentoring and who are holding appropriate
ceremonies and activities to further promote awareness of and
volunteer involvement with youth mentoring.
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