2011 Michigan Mentoring Month
“Pass It On”

2011 MMM: What is it?
• Held every January
• 10th
annual opportunity to focus attention
on mentoring
• Held on a national and statewide level
• Goals:
– Raise awareness of mentoring
– Recognize current mentoring matches
– Recruit potential mentors
– Celebrate mentoring/engage your matches

2011 MMM: Themes
• Michigan’s Theme = “Pass It On”
– Tied to Mentor Michigan’s mission
• National Theme = “Help them get there.
Be a mentor.”
– Changes year to year

• Martin Luther
King, Jr. Day of
Service (January
17, 2011)
– Volunteer
– Plan a project
– Encourage service
• Thank Your
Mentor Day
(January 25, 2011)
– Recognize
– Get mentees
involved
– Invite public to
make financial
contributions to
mentoring
2011 MMM: Special Days

2011 MMM: What Can You Do?
• Raise Awareness!
– Share your organization’s efforts with the
public
• Create an event
• Distribute a press release
• Submit an op-ed

2011 MMM: What Can You Do?
• Raising Awareness Examples:
– Op-Ed
• Celebrate mentoring month with Big Brothers Big
Sisters by Janene Weis, Big Brothers Big Sisters, A
Community of Caring
– Letter to the Editor
• Letter to the editor: January is National Mentoring
Month by Jennifer Spitler, Big Brothers Big Sisters
– Guest Column
• The miracle of mentoring by Big Jim Edgerton,
Brothers Big Sisters Director of Community
Partnerships

2011 MMM: What Can You Do?
• Recognize!
– Thank your volunteers, mentors, and
mentees
• Create an event
• Honor their efforts
• Spread the word

2011 MMM: What Can You Do?
• Recognizing Example:
– The Yunion Inc.’s “Continuing the Legacy…
Be A Mentor” Recognition Event
• Mentor recognition event in honor of Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr. at Wayne State University
• More than 60 mentors, mentees, volunteers,
staff, and families attended to hear guest
speaker Senator Hansen Clarke provide
testimony on the impact of mentoring

• Recruit!
– Encourage more individuals to give their
time to a young person
• Create an event
• Get the word out
• Reach out to new audiences
2011 MMM: What Can You Do?

• Recruiting Example:
– Clinton County 4-H Key Mentoring and
Creating Connections program
• Open House to recruit mentors and educate the
community about the program
• All of the evening’s speakers consisted of
individuals currently serving as mentors
2011 MMM: What Can You Do?

• Celebrate!
– Provide an opportunity (either celebratory
or service-related) for your matches
• Create an event
• Emphasize special match activities
2011 MMM: What Can You Do?

• Celebration/Match Activity Example:
– Big Brothers Big Sisters Michigan Capital
Region
• Mentors and mentees went ice skating with
members of the Michigan State University
hockey team
• Thanked volunteers at annual BIG Appreciation
Dinner
2011 MMM: What Can You Do?

2011 MMM: What Can WE Do?
• Share your efforts with broader
audiences:
– Submit your events
– Share your news
– Provide us with photos
– Keep us up in the loop

2011 MMM: What Can WE Do?
• Provide you with resources:
– Use our Toolkit
– Check out our research
– Apply for our mini-grants
– Check out what others have done

2011 MMM: Resources
• Mentor Michigan’s MMM Toolkit
– Variety of tools
– Free to use
– Support provided
– Available at www.mentormichigan.org
• National Mentoring Month
– www.nationalmentoringmonth.org
– www.whomentoredyou.org

2011 MMM: Mentor Michigan’s Toolkit
• Mentor Michigan’s MMM Toolkit:
– Save-the-Date
– Form op-eds
– Template media advisory
– Public Service Announcements
– Mentor Michigan Census results
– Event ideas
– Event/Media planning guides
– MLK Day materials
– Thank Your Mentor Day materials
– MORE IS COMING!

2011 MMM: What’s coming this January?
• Continual 2011 MMM Toolkit updates
• Public Service Announcement
statewide distribution
• Promotion of local events
• Outreach drives to various audiences
• Governor’s Proclamation
• 2011 MMM recap

2011 MMM: Questions?
2011 Michigan Mentoring
Month Contact:
Elyse V. Walter
Communication Specialist
verberkmoese@michigan.gov
(517) 241-0063