HR0012 94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR0012 LRB094 05154 MKM 35195 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, It has long been the policy of this State to authorize various efforts to supplement educational and home-based activities in support of developing youth; and

WHEREAS, Although current efforts to support developing youth are well-intended, laudable, and, in some cases, well-received, they are unable to fill the broad spectrum of existing need; and

WHEREAS, It has been clearly demonstrated that community-based one-to-one mentoring relationships between youth and caring volunteer adults have proven to reduce the likelihood of drug and alcohol use by 27%-46%, deter juvenile delinquency, improve classroom performance and school attendance by 58%, and improve family relationships; and

WHEREAS, the extremely worthwhile nature of one-to-one mentoring efforts has been documented by a comprehensive study conducted by the highly respected Public Private Ventures Study, declaring a need for a national initiative to encourage and expand mentoring efforts; and

WHEREAS, it is necessary to study and design a more inclusive delivery system for the support of at-risk youth through one-to-one mentoring programs; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-FOURTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that a new, sustainable, community-based one-to-one mentoring effort is necessary to maximize the potential of the estimated 475,000 at-risk young people of this State; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a Task Force on One-to-One Mentoring Programs is established and shall be composed of 4 members appointed by the Speaker, one of whom shall be designated as co-chair at the time of appointment, and 4 members appointed by the Minority Leader, one of whom shall be designated as co-chair at the time of appointment; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force is directed to convene hearings, at the call of either co-chair, in Springfield, Chicago, and other sites determined by the Task Force, in order to take testimony concerning the best course of action to meet its goal of providing one-to-one mentoring programs to at-risk youth; and be it further

RESOLVED, That the Task Force report to the House of Representatives no later than January 1, 2006 concerning its recommendations for program modifications and expansions for consideration during the 94th General Assembly.