Connection. Simply stated, that is the driving force behind MENTORSTARK.

I have held the vision of MENTORSTARK for many years.  Our county is rich in programs and full of individuals who want to support our young people as they move into productive, meaningful and self-sustaining lives. We have dedicated educators who are putting systems in place to help every K-12 student develop their personal pathways to success.  We have fine colleges within our county lines with strong career services departments, working hard to help their students build relationships with alumni and potential employers. We have local military recruiters for every branch of the armed service, excellent local skilled trade training centers, and a large number of employers who offer entry-level positions that provide the foundation for a solid work history and a pathway to financial stability. There are social service providers, work training programs, business and economic development initiatives,  and financial resources to aid those who need it.

Yet still, there is a disconnect. I have experienced it as a mentor, and it lives in the stories of the young people in my life. In Stark County, relationships matter. Relationships open up opportunities and make it easier to access resources. Relationships build trust.. Relationships provide the foundation for innovative solutions to social issues.

According to the 2018 Northeast Ohio Youth Health Survey, "Stark County youth feel less connected to their school, friends, and family than other adolescents in the U.S."  One of the recommendations that came out of this report is to "Promote Connectedness." 

The organizations and programs listed within this website all make young people feel connected to something and someone. While in the past, mentoring has traditionally been thought of as the one-on-one, "Big Brother, Big Sister" model, new understandings of youth development show the importance of webs of support for young people as they navigate their transition to adulthood. All of the programs on this website build relationships with youth that contribute to their webs of support. They all do it differently, aligning their work with the specific missions of their organizations and the needs of the young people they serve. But make no mistake, every program on this website is an important part of "the village".

The other thing that most of the programs on this website have is a need for funding to keep going with their good work. Financial support is necessary to operate these programs. And in our small community, that often means programs competing for the same local dollars from the same local funders and donors.

What if...

• we could plot out all the opportunities available to young people in order to identify gaps?
• we could gather aggregate data and report the universal impact of the programs in our community in order to secure national funding?
• we could identify opportunities to share resources between local programs so their leaders can focus more on working with their youth?

These things are all being done by other communities. There is no reason they can not be done here in Stark County.

MENTORSTARK is a step in that direction.

I hope you find this website useful. If you have any comments or suggestions, please feel free to contact me!

Laurie Moline

Founder, MENTORSTARK.ORG