Mayor Bill de Blasio marked the end of National Mentoring Month by announcing that all 1,100 employees in his office can mentor young people during their standard seven-hour workdays for up to three hours a month.
Job classifications that will permit mentoring young people on city time include administrative assistants and policy advisers, lawyers, executive directors “and everything in between,” a representative said. It is hoped that at least 150 employees will not only sign up, but also be participating this year.
The mayor’s latest move is intended to help meet his citywide target of 14,000 New Yorkers mentoring young people in 400 city high schools by 2022. If the new program is successful, “the city will work with human resource departments at other city agencies and authorities” to expand the mentoring program to all city employees, according to a statement.
About 400 organizations have active listings on the MENTOR New York portal available to mayor’s office employees, including groups in critically underserved communities.
City Hall wants to raise high school graduation rates to at least 80% by 2026.
“When young men and women have the right role models and guidance in life, they are more likely to succeed and reach their full potential in academics and future careers,” de Blasio said in the statement.
