Mentors needed for area youths

YOUNGSTOWN

The city’s Police Athletic League is seeking adult volunteers to serve as mentors for its youthful participants.

Volunteers agree to meet with the youth assigned to them for at least one hour a week for one year at the PAL office, 1639 Mahoning Ave.

Volunteers offer friendship and a listening ear and engage in individual and group activities with the youth assigned to them.

Administration of the mentoring program here and at 134 other PAL offices nationwide is funded by the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention.

Research shows mentoring programs, such as the one being established here, reduce first-time drug abuse by nearly half and first-time alcohol use by one third and boost the academic performance of young participants, PAL said.

Prospective volunteers should call Marta Poluse, program coordinator, at 330-787-4667 or 330-270-8497, or stop by the PAL office between 10 a.m. and

5 p.m. weekdays.