RUSH Mentoring brings the local community together for the cause of local youth. Community members freely offer their time to support a student of the local High School.

This support may take various forms, such as help with homework, going to events, hanging out at the Youth Centre, or just being there to talk too.

Most of the youth in the research sample were between the ages 10 and 14;

• Nearly 60 percent were members of a minority group
• More than 60 percent were boys
• Most were near poor to poor
• Many live in families with histories of substance abuse and/or domestic violence.

Mentees who met with their Mentors regularly for about a year were:

• 46% less likely than their peers to use illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking;
• 52% less likely than their peers to skip a day of school and 37% less likely to skip a class;
• More trusting of their parents or guardians, less likely to lie to them
• Felt more supported and less criticised by their peers and friends.

Who are the RUSH Mentors?
The mentors are members of the local community who volunteer some time each week, to build the relationship into a local High School Student's life.

Mentors need to:

• Be good listeners
• Like young people
• Have some spare time, a mentor commits to between 1 hour per week and up to 3 hours per activity.
• Make a regular commitment for a period of time
• Satisfy a police check - no criminal record or dubious background
• Care about the future of young people
• Have the ability to maintain working relationships
• Demonstrated understanding and tolerance of different types of people
• Have the ability to problem solve
• Have the ability to identify and respond to the needs of other people
• Have a willingness to help others
• Have a willingness to take responsibility
• Have a willingness to seek out and learn new skills and knowledge
• Have the ability to set goals and priorities.
• Demonstrate understanding of own strengths and weaknesses
• Demonstrate motivation for the task at hand

RUSH Mentoring allows the youth to have someone else to talk to in times of need or when critical choices are made in their lives. While not all youth are comfortable with talking to their parents about issues, the mentor allows the youth to confide in another source and ask for advice in a safe environment.