Mentoring program to focus on children in foster care

Published 4:31 pm Wednesday, January 25, 2017

MOULTRIE, Ga. — While all children tend to benefit from mentoring and strong adult role models, those in foster care have particular needs that mentors can help meet. A training session is being planned to help Moultrie mentors meet those needs.

“Currently in our community, we have approximately 120 children residing in foster care,” said a press release from The Forgotten Initiative. “These children often need extra support and encouragement to help them through the effects and challenges that are inevitably present while in the foster care system. The Forgotten Initiative, a nationwide non-profit Christian organization with a local branch in Colquitt County, strives to bring joy and purpose to the foster care community through a variety of means. One means is by partnering locally with Titus Ranch to provide training and support to the Body of Christ to mentor these often forgotten individuals.”

Titus Ranch will hold training specifically geared toward mentoring children in foster care from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 4, at St. Mark’s Anglican Church. The cost is $15 and includes lunch and training supplies.

Mentors trained through Titus Ranch are encouraged to meet with their child once a week, outside of school, to do activities of yours and the child’s choosing. The amount of time spent each week is unlimited and is primarily based on approval from the child’s foster family.

Email colquittcounty.ga@theforgotteninitiative.org to pre-register or visit the Facebook page, Colquitt County, GA: The Forgotten Initiative.

A study released in 2013 by The Center for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH), in conjunction with Big Brothers, Big Sisters of Canada, shows the following results for children with mentors:

• Students with a mentor are significantly more confident in their academic abilities and considerably less likely to display behavior problems.  

• Girls with a mentor are 4 times less likely to bully, fight, lie, or express anger than girls without a mentor.  

• Boys with a mentor are 2 times less likely than non-mentored boys to develop negative conducts like bullying, fighting, lying, cheating, losing their temper, or expressing anger.

The positive effects of mentoring apply to students regardless of the child’s age, personal history, family circumstances or cultural identity, the press release said.