Workplace Mentoring Program Comes To Gloucester Township

GLOUCESTER TOWNSHIP, NJ — Big Brothers Big Sisters Independence Region (BBBS Independence) is kicking off its first workplace mentoring program with Gloucester Township and Glen Landing Middle School. It is the first municipally funded Beyond School Walls program in South Jersey.

Beyond School Walls is a unique one-to-one mentoring program in which students (“Littles”) from local schools meet with their mentors (“Bigs”) at their workplace. Children not only have a new adult friend and role model, but are also exposed to a positive work environment – something they may never have experienced before.

Currently, 29 corporations and 29 schools take part in the program. It has a positive impact on the lives of nearly 1,000 children involved. Approximately 5,800 children have been served since its inception in 2006.
Gloucester Township has 17 employees serving as mentors in the Beyond School Walls program, including Mayor David Mayer and Business Administrator Tom Cardis.

“When presented with the opportunity to participate in Big Brothers Big Sisters ‘Beyond School Walls,’ Gloucester Township was overcome with excitement,” Mayer said. “Our goal is to enhance the social, emotional and positive development of our youth involved in this program. We look forward to meeting with our children every month and seeing the impact that this positive program has on the youth of our community.”

The kickoff event takes place on Wednesday, Jan. 17, 11:45 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the municipal building, 1261 Chews Landing Road. Volunteer mentors for the program include many different adult professionals working in Gloucester Township including the Police Department, Public Works, Mayor’s Office, Municipal Clerk, and Parks and Recreation.

This event marks the third of several workplace mentoring programs the agency intends to launch in South Jersey, specifically Burlington, Camden, and Gloucester Counties. Its goals include:

• 25 new mentoring matches to be made in the 2017-2108 school year
• 70%+ of youth improving their school performance
• 70%+ of youth improving their level of social acceptance
• 70%+ of youth improving their attitude towards avoiding risky behaviors

Featured speakers will include Gloucester Township Mayor David Mayer, Glen Landing Middle School Vice Principal Steve Kline and BBBS Independence CEO Marcus Allen. Other attendees will include more than 17 mentors (Gloucester Township Municipal employees) and mentees (students from Glen Landing Middle School). For more information, visit www.independencebigs.org.

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