Mentoring Program Faces Volunteer Shortage

The YMCA of Louisville’s mentoring program is having difficulty recruiting adult volunteers for its Children of Prisoners program.Case manager Dave Washer says the program has up to thirty children between the ages of 11 and 15. He says they have 25 children enrolled in the program and ready to be matched with an adult mentor, but only 15 mentors.“Just in general, people’s lives are a little more unsettled than they’ve been in past years," says Washer, "and so to make a commitment to a twelve month program is a little bit tougher decision for people to make.”Washer says part of the program involves group sessions, so the youth will be able to continue without mentors for awhile. But – he says – they’re reaching out to faith communities to find more volunteers.