Vermont Business Magazine MENTOR Vermont’s DEI Committee has released a Statement of Commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) for the mentoring field in Vermont. This commitment is joined by 19 mentoring program signatories from across the State that have pledged to lead by example in their dedication and promotion of diversity, equity, and inclusion through collective action.
Working with mentoring programs, the Vermont Mentoring DEI Committee developed an action plan based on feedback identifying areas in need of support. The DEI Committee invested grant funding into an accessible learning and training platform which has an extensive catalog of training videos and resources with a focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion topics that allow mentors and mentoring program staff to learn at their own pace.
The DEI committee contracted local Vermont experts in their respective fields to create content for mentors and program staff, so they can learn and become informed on relevant practices to support mentees and Vermont youth.
"To make it safe for youth we must be equipped to know and support all of their identities. Vermont is a very isolating state, so DEI work is important to help make youth feel heard, valued, and able to be their authentic self,” said Mona Abdelghani, the DREAM Program’s Associate Youth Service Director.
This DEI Statement of Commitment is the culmination of work MENTOR Vermont has engaged in since 2018. MENTOR Vermont has been on a journey to advance racial equity inside their organizations and externally in the field for several years. The Vermont Mentoring DEI Committee has focused on making visible who holds decision-making power, both formally and informally, and working to transform systems that have reinforced structural racism and inequity within its organization and in the youth mentoring field.
"There's been a big increase with police brutality, and I think it's nice to know that people who are of color still have a voice and have just as much power as anybody else." - Benji, mentee.
“We believe this statement reflects the Vermont mentoring community’s commitment to keep issues of social and racial justice as one of its core values. We are asking to be kept accountable to reflect emerging changes and conditions in communities and the broader society, for which there is no true endpoint,” said Sarah DeBouter, Training and Support Director at MENTOR Vermont.
MENTOR Vermont values the expertise of Vermonters by providing opportunities to partner with local specialists to broaden the learning for mentors across the state. To learn more about the DEI commitment at MENTOR Vermont, or if you wish to partner with MENTOR Vermont by being a content expert, reach out to [email protected]
About MENTOR Vermont: MENTOR Vermont aims to close the mentoring gap and drive equity through quality mentoring relationships so every young person in Vermont has the supportive mentoring relationships they need to grow and thrive. To achieve this vision, MENTOR Vermont provides funding, resources, and support for youth mentoring programs throughout the state. In addition to managing the Vermont Mentoring Grants, the organization provides technical support to mentoring program staff, maintains an online program directory and referral system for volunteers, manages a quality-based program management database, raises public awareness of mentoring, works with programs to ensure they are meeting best practices, and leads statewide mentoring initiatives. MENTOR Vermont is the state affiliate of MENTOR National. For more information about mentoring programs and initiatives in Vermont, visit www.mentorvt.org.
Source: 5.13.2024. Burlington, VT (May 13, 2024) - MENTOR Vermont
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