Louisville nonprofit wants to see more mentoring access for Kentucky kids

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WAVE) – A nonprofit organization in Louisville is encouraging schools and organizations to create more mentoring programs for children in WAVE Country.

Nearly one in four children in Kentucky has experienced at least two adverse childhood experiences, according to the 2024 Kentucky KIDS COUNT Data Book published by the nonprofit Kentucky Youth Advocates (KYA). These may include abuse, neglect, or dysfunction in the home.

KYA chief executive Terry Brooks said these traumatic events could increase the risk of making risky decisions in adulthood.

“Children lead fragmented lives, and mentors can provide stability, council and direction,” he explained. “These are invaluable assets for any child moving forward.”

That’s why the nonprofit organization wants to increase access to mentors for children and youth. Brooks added that they encourage schools, community and faith-based organizations to integrate mentoring into their curricula and programs.

“A lot of kids are very lucky because a mom, a dad, a grandparent can provide that,” he said. “We celebrate that, but there are kids who don’t have those close connections and still have the same needs. That’s where mentors come in in such a big way.

Brooks emphasized that mentors can lead children on the path to success. It was the same for Aleah Stigall, a high school sophomore from Boyle County.

“My family was just me, my mom, my dad, and my dog,” he explained. “I was a little girl who hid behind her mother and didn’t talk to people in public.”

But that’s no longer the case, as Stigall now feels comfortable speaking to crowds across the state, thanks to the time he’s spent performing and the mentors he’s met along the way.

“Even though I met them (the mentors) at such a young age, they always included me,” he added. “Even if it was a remote event, a very distant event, they called me or my family and took me there so I could learn from their experience and hopefully get into their position. future.”

Now Stgall is repaying the debt on his own initiative Disconnect to ConnectShe encourages students to put down technology and build relationships by interacting with people. He echoed Brooks’ call for more mentoring access and hopes to see change statewide soon.

“I hope other people and other children can also gain success in their future job interviews or their future lives in general by gaining these mentors,” he commented.

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