About Us
Making a Difference through School-Based Mentoring
The Mentoring Group is a nonprofit 501(c) 3 full-service mentoring agency, providing one-on-one and group mentoring opportunities for in school youth between the ages of 12- 21 years old here in Greenville County. Each child in the program will be paired in a one-on-one mentoring friendship and participate in group activities with a trained, caring adult who will promote change, foster individual responsibility and respect, while building confidence.
Because of repeated disappointments and failures in the classroom and the development of destructive habits, many of our youth have lost faith in the possibilities that await them when they graduate from high school. Consequently, these young people become prime candidates for scholastic failure, the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol, and are more likely to skip classes or drop out of school completely. Joining gangs and entering a life of violence and crime becomes a viable option for these students.
To transform this sense of hopelessness to a vision of unbounded potential and expanded positive choices, The Mentoring Group was founded. Through collaborations with schools in Greenville County, we serve vulnerable youth through a school-based mentoring program.
In this program, students aged 12-21 receive support, advocacy, and most importantly they participate in a one-on-one mentoring friendship with a trained adult who is committed to helping them achieve their goals and aspirations. In its first year, The Mentoring Group served 20 students in three area middle and high schools, and has plans to more than double its student participation this academic year.
Students participating in the program spend a minimum of three hours each month with their mentors. These one-on-one interactions, combined with participation in school-related activities, group mentoring, educational trips and community projects afford these youth a chance to create a place where they learn to dream, plan, reflect and have fun.