Adult mentors establish a positive relationship with a youth worker, encourage positive workplace behavior and habits, reinforce the connection between workplace success and academic achievement, and serve as a trusted resource for a youth's questions and concerns relating to their job experience.

In 1985, the Business Partners Mentorship Program was developed as an enhancement to the Summer Youth Employment Training Program. A 1990 follow up study found that low-income youth involved in both programs were more employable, more likely to graduate from post secondary school, and had fewer records of arrest later in life than students who didn't have adult mentors through Business Partners. Over 20 years later, the program continues to support youth workers in Minneapolis.

For more information, please contact Gianna Bari Lassiter at glassiter@achievempls.org.