Mentoring as a Pathway to a Brighter Future

Ben Davis

During National Mentoring Month in January, we reflect on the power of relationships—one child, one mentor—to transform lives and build a brighter future. At Friends of the Children – Western Montana, our mission is to break generational cycles of poverty and trauma by providing paid, professional mentors to children facing the greatest obstacles, for 12+ years, no matter what.

Our model is grounded in a simple yet profound principle: a long-term, consistent relationship with a caring adult can change a child’s life trajectory.

Friends of the Children was founded over 30 years ago on this belief, and today, our organization serves thousands of youth across the country. In Missoula, we launched our program in 2021 to address the urgent need for stronger support systems for vulnerable children in Montana. Montana has the highest rate of childhood adversities in the nation, and youth suicide rates remain among the highest in the country, underscoring the critical need for our services.

Expanding our reach further, in 2024 we established the Flathead Nation Program in Lake County, which provides culturally responsive mentoring services to tribal-identifying youth by incorporating Indigenous culture and traditions into our long-term support model.

Our work is both intensive and intentional. Each of the 64 children and families currently enrolled in our Missoula and Flathead Nation programs is paired with a full-time professional mentor—whom we call a Friend—who spends three to four hours per week with them.

These relationships are carefully nurtured and maintained for 12 years, beginning as early as age four and continuing through high school graduation. Friends provide consistent, trauma-informed support that helps youth navigate life’s challenges and build the skills necessary for long-term success.

Mentoring is more than just guidance; it’s about being a consistent presence in a child’s life, offering them hope, encouragement, and a belief in their potential. We see firsthand how this approach changes lives. The mentors in our program are a steady, constant source of stability for youth, offering guidance through academic struggles, emotional challenges, and the hurdles that come with navigating life in poverty.

Our mentors are there through every challenge, every triumph, and every step forward, no matter what. By fostering resilience, our mentors empower youth to overcome obstacles and envision a future of limitless possibilities.

Our Program Works:

• 92% of youth who have gone through the program enroll in post-secondary education, serve our country, or enter the workforce with a living-wage job.

• 93% of youth remain free from involvement in the juvenile justice system.

• 98% of youth wait to parent until after their teen years.

• Research shows that children in the program spend a shorter period of time in foster care and re-enter foster care less often compared to children not in the program.

This National Mentoring Month, we invite the Missoula and Flathead communities to join us in our mission. Whether through volunteering, donating, or simply spreading the word, you can help us expand our reach and serve more children who deserve the opportunity to thrive.

Mentoring isn’t just about helping one child—it’s about creating generational change. When children are empowered to succeed, they become leaders, role models, and positive contributors to their communities. Together, we can build a future where every child, no matter their circumstances, has the opportunity to dream big and achieve those dreams.

For more information about Friends of the Children – Western Montana and how you can get involved, please visit www.friendswesternmt.org. Let’s celebrate the power of relationships this National Mentoring Month—one child, one Friend, and a brighter future for all.

Ben Davis, Executive Director, Friends of the Children Western Montana

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