Vicksburg Warren Youth Development Center works to change lives through mentorship

VICKSBURG, Miss. (VDN) — In a city where history runs deep, the future is being shaped one young person at a time through mentorship. At the Vicksburg Warren Youth Development Center, adults are stepping forward to serve as role models, offering guidance and encouragement to students who need it most.

The center connects caring community members with young people navigating school, relationships, and the challenges of growing up. Through mentorship, volunteers provide stability, encouragement, and accountability. Mentorship is a relationship that research shows can change the trajectory of a child’s life.

The effort received a boost in 2023 when a class from Leadership Vicksburg developed a mentorship handbook. The guide outlines best practices for building trust, setting goals, and fostering resilience. Today, it serves as the foundation for those who want to step into the role of mentor and make a lasting impact in a young person’s life.

The benefits are clear. According to MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership, young people with mentors are 55 percent more likely to enroll in college, 78 percent more likely to volunteer regularly, and 130 percent more likely to hold leadership positions. Studies also show that mentored youth are less likely to use drugs or alcohol and more likely to improve in academics and self-confidence.

The impact extends to public safety as well. Research from the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention has found that youth who participate in mentoring programs are significantly less likely to engage in delinquent behavior. Communities with strong mentorship networks often see reduced crime rates, as young people are given opportunities to grow in positive directions rather than fall into cycles of violence or incarceration.

For Vicksburg, where community resiliency is as much a part of the story as its riverfront battles and cultural landmarks, mentorship represents a modern defense line, one that protects the city’s future by investing in its youngest citizens.

Becoming a mentor through the Vicksburg Youth Development Center is straightforward. Volunteers receive training and guidance using the Leadership Vicksburg handbook. Once completed they are matched with youth based on shared interests and needs. Mentors commit to consistent interaction, whether through tutoring, recreational activities, or simply being a steady presence in a child’s life.

The call to action is simple: if more adults step into this role, more young people will have the tools they need to thrive.

“Mentorship is not about perfection, it’s about presence,” says Dr. Susie Calbert, Executive Director of the Vicksburg Warren Youth Development Center.

And for a child in Vicksburg, that presence can make the difference between struggling alone and succeeding with support.