Bill Johnson, Director
Alabama Department of Economic and Community Development

What is a mentor? Mentor literally means "a wise and trusted friend." But to a youth, it can mean much, much more. Mentoring is about people of different ages and backgrounds sharing their life experiences and learning from each other. If you think about it, we've all had a mentor: someone who took the time to explain how things worked, showed us the ropes, or gave us the confidence we needed.

You can make a difference for Alabama's youth. Share your time, your knowledge, and your experiences. No matter how limited our time may be, each of us has the capacity to make a tremendous difference by touching the life of a young person. Simply being a good listener, showing that you want to help and that you care, you can become a mentor and help that young person.