The Calcasieu Parish School Board is solidifying its partnership with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Southwest Louisiana through the youth mentorship program MentorU. CPSB recently approved a move to continue the program into its second year.

Erin Davison, BBBSSWLA chief executive officer, said the mentoring program helps build essential skills in students with a focus on “better grades, less truancy, leadership within the classroom and school, and improvements in literacy and self-confidence.”

“Our mentoring programs not only foster better positive relationships and lessen negative behaviors in youth, but our mentoring programs also focus on educational improvement,” she said. “BBBS brings a unique understanding of youth and the positive improvements needed for them to be better students and leaders in their families, peer circles, and social and school systems.”

According to CPSB, over the course of a year 50 percent of participants indicated an increase in self-worth and positive thinking, 40 percent showed an improvement in grades and 35 percent began to think before they acted out.

Programs such as MentorU are essential for Lake Charles youth, as “it works with youth who have limited resources in many areas of their life,” Davison said.

“Many learning areas in schools have been limited or cut all together, such as life skills including financial literacy, career planning, job readiness, resume writing, and basic living skills that help youth become self-sufficient adults,” she explained. “MentorU focuses on the whole person.”

To ensure participation, BBBSSWLA will work with CPSB faculty, as well as family and students to identify students who will benefit from the program the most.

“We work with families by encouraging them to enroll their Littles into the programs and invite youth to join us,” she said. “Youth who are in our programs help us with inviting their friends and peers to join them as they see the positive results mentoring provides things such as better grades, better self-confidence, and much more.”

MentorU’s demographic are youths aged 12 to 17 that live in Calcasieu Parish. Davison noted that it was imperative that MentorU be inclusive.

“We are affirmative, inclusive, and inviting of all youth who need a positive relationship with a Mentor,” she said.

BBBSSWLA has also partnered with the Calcasieu Parish DA’s Office, Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office, the city of Lake Charles, the Calcasieu Parish Police Jury, Cheniere Energy and Capital One to make MentorU happen.

In the long-term, MentorU hopes to expand their reach to the six parishes that BBBSSWLA serves: Allen, Calcasieu, Cameron, Jeff Davis, Beauregard and Vernon.