United Way of Morris County News
Recent News

What has 2,736 legs, is 10 years old, and changes lives?
Our Mentor Training and Consulting Center!
January 1, 2008

Now, it may sound like a stretch, but it's actually true!

This January, United Way's Mentor Training & Consulting Center is celebrating an extraordinary milestone: its 10th anniversary!

Since its inception in 1998, the Center has graduated 1,368 mentors (hence the leg count!)

Today, hundreds of these well-trained mentors are helping children, teens, parents, seniors, and families develop potential, design goals, consider new paths.  These mentors are changing lives!

And since its founding, the driving force behind the Mentor Training Center has been the irrepressible JoAnn Tsonton.

Ten year ago, JoAnn was volunteering for United Way of Morris County when the organization was reaching out to the community to find new ways to help those in need.  Feedback from United Way member agencies consistently pointed to the need for quality mentors to support families and children.  Yet, the agencies themselves had no resources to train the mentors they were looking for.

With Phyllis Doyle, then another United Way volunteer, JoAnn spent 18 months researching all sorts of mentoring programs.  The pair ultimately decided to create a unique curriculum for the United Way Center.  With a newly minted mission to increase the quantity and quality of mentors in Morris County, the Mentor Training Center was launched.

The training is presented in four 3-hour sessions.  When the first class began, 19 people showed up.  Four sessions later, 19 graduated. 

That first year, JoAnn taught four training classes.  The following year, she taught 20.  The demand was enormous, and the need was clear.

Ten years later, JoAnn has taught the training class 109 times, training over 1,700 community members, educators, clergy, teens, executives, lawyers, parents.  In addition to classes that are open to the community, JoAnn has conducted sessions at area schools, churches, corporations, and other community groups.  Her trainees have ranged in age from 13 to 86. 

All those she has trained have had one thing in common...a desire to learn more, a desire to see if mentoring someone on a one to one basis would be something they might want to do.

For most of JoAnn's graduates, the answer is yes.  But not for all.  And that's just fine with JoAnn.

"Many enroll to learn what mentoring is all about.  They enjoy the classes, and graduate with the clear realization that mentoring may not be the right fit for them, or that a mentoring relationship might not be realistic at that moment in their lives.  And that's okay, that's what the training is for!!"

When asked what it takes to be a "good" mentor, JoAnn is emphatic.  "All you need is to care about people...have an interest.  There is nothing beyond that.  You become a friend, a supportive shoulder.  In fact, you never need to have all the answers!  I tell my students that the best mentors have scars on their tongues from biting back advice and directions.  The best mentors help their mentees discover answers for themselves.  They listen, and ask questions." 

Today, the Center is the only organization in New Jersey providing free, broad scale mentor training open to all members of the community.

The training classes are interactive, dynamic, fun, and always highly rated by participants.

It has been noted that mentoring changes the world, TWO lives at a time.  Those who mentor find they get as much, if not more, out of the relationship.  Mentors develop their own leadership and coaching skills.  Most importantly, is the sense of satisfaction that mentoring brings.

This January, as we celebrate National Mentoring Month, why not consider adding the wonderful title of "mentor" to your resume?   

As JoAnn likes to say, "Someone out there is waiting for you!"