Faith Based Mentors

A new program opens in Kansas, as announced by the Kansas Governor in this local news report.

While mentoring programs do show some success with youth—who can benefit from the surrogate parental figure—those for adults do not.

An excerpt.

“Topeka — Gov. Sam Brownback on Tuesday announced an expansion of his faith-based initiative, saying that he wants to match state prisoners with faith-based mentors.

“Brownback has already given the green light to a new faith-based division in the state’s welfare agency.

“Now, the Kansas Department of Corrections is ready to roll out Mentoring 4 Success, he said.

“The state prison system will work with Prison Fellowship Ministries, Reaching Out From Within and the ecumenical Spiritual Advisors to help inmates succeed when they are released from prison, he said.

“I know firsthand, as we all do, the importance and the power that a mentor has in our lives,” Brownback said.

“Brownback’s Corrections Secretary Ray Roberts said of the 5,000 inmates released from the Kansas prison system last year, approximately 1,100 came back to prison for violations.

“The goal is to reduce that number, Roberts said.

“He said the prison system has been working since March on developing a plan of action to launch the initiative and recruit mentors, who will work on a voluntary basis.”