California Launches Initiative to Mentor 10,000 Young Men

California Governor Gavin Newsom has unveiled a new campaign aimed at recruiting 10,000 young men to serve as mentors, coaches, and tutors. The initiative, named the California Men’s Service Challenge, was announced on March 12, 2024, and serves as part of an executive order directing state agencies to address mental health issues among boys and young men.

During the announcement, Newsom highlighted a troubling trend, stating, “We have an epidemic of loneliness, and so much of that is manifesting and metastasizing online in very profound and consequential ways.” He referred to the recent killing of conservative activist Charlie Kirk at a Utah university, emphasizing the urgency of the situation.

Statistics reveal that boys and men aged 15 to 44 in California die by suicide at rates three to four times higher than women, often using firearms. Additionally, nearly half of female homicide victims are killed by a current or former intimate male partner. These alarming figures underscore the need for proactive measures to support mental health among men.

Building Positive Relationships

The campaign will involve partnerships with various youth organizations, including Improve Your Tomorrow, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, Mentor California, and the American Institute for Boys and Men. These organizations will assist in recruiting and training mentors for young boys, aiming to foster consistent, positive relationships that model integrity, empathy, and community engagement.

According to Josh Fryday, California’s chief service officer, the initiative will encompass ongoing one-on-one and group mentoring, tutoring, reading programs, and youth sports coaching. The program will be supported by California Volunteers, which manages a community service initiative budget of $275 million.

Marcus Strother, the executive director of Mentor California, emphasized the importance of this initiative in addressing the long wait lists for young boys seeking mentors. He noted, “We want mentors who are vulnerable and are ready to share their story.” Strother pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic severely impacted young boys’ social development, making it more challenging for them to build relationships and articulate their feelings.

Research from child and adolescent psychologists indicates that boys’ mental health has been slower to recover from lockdowns compared to their female counterparts. Strother noted, “We haven’t done a good job of teaching our young men how to understand their emotions and talk through them.”

Addressing Loneliness and Stigma

A recent poll revealed that one in four young men aged 15 to 35 reported feeling lonely “a lot of the previous day.” Furthermore, adolescent boys are approximately 50% less likely than girls to seek mental health services for issues such as depression, anxiety, or suicidal thoughts, largely due to social stigma.

In August 2023, Newsom issued an executive order directing the California Health and Human Services agency, along with programs like the Children and Youth Behavioral Health Initiative, to explore ways to enhance mental health support for boys and young men, although no new funding was allocated at that time.

Jason Laker, a professor at San Jose State University and an expert in men and masculinity studies, praised the service challenge as a vital step in addressing the needs of young men. He stated, “Boys are struggling for attention, and they desperately need people in their life who are there to support them and uplift them.”

Laker highlighted the necessity for mentorship programs to challenge harmful stereotypes, advocating for training that emphasizes care and compassion. He remarked, “Someone who wants to mentor a Black boy, for example, needs to understand why it may feel dangerous for him to express strong emotion.”

Fryday confirmed that the initiative will collaborate with behavioral health experts from state agencies, including the Department of Public Health, to guide its mental health goals. Strother added that organizations like Mentor California will also focus on training mentors to be culturally responsive to the diverse experiences of California’s youth.

As the California Men’s Service Challenge unfolds, there is hope that it will pave the way for young men to find support, build healthy relationships, and ultimately contribute positively to their communities. The initiative serves as a call to action, inviting men across the state to make a difference in the lives of young boys and help combat the loneliness epidemic that many are facing today.