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Monday 9am - 3pm Tuesday 9am - 3pm Wednesday 9am - 3pm Thursday 9am - 3pm Friday 9am - 3pm

Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring - SEOYM

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Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring - SEOYM

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Mentors make a Difference! We continue to use their standards to guide us in serving our children, their families and our communities

Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring (SEOYM) builds the strengths of children, families and volunteers to help young people develop the skills, knowledge and confidence they need to make healthy and positive choices. SEOYM is a former affiliate of Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, the world’s largest and most effective system of one-to-one youth mentoring, and the acknowledged leader in building professionally supported, dynamic relationships that unite children with committed volunteers.

11/02/2026

For 40 years, Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring has been about more than activities and programs. It’s about creating places where young people feel welcome, supported, and connected. One SEOYM parent described watching their child grow in confidence, build friendships, and feel part of a larger community. Those everyday moments of connection are what make this work matter. 40 years. One match at a time. Follow along this month as we share stories from the SEOYM community!

11/02/2026

For 40 years, Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring has been about more than activities and programs. It’s about creating places where young people feel welcome, supported, and connected. One SEOYM parent described watching their child grow in confidence, build friendships, and feel part of a larger community. Those everyday moments of connection are what make this work matter. 40 Years. One Match at a Time.

Follow along this month as we share stories from the SEOYM community.

10/20/2026

Youth applications for Bobcats and Buddies 26-27 are still available for grades 5th-8th! If you are interested please email [email protected] or call our office at (740) 797-0037. The first session is this Saturday October 24th and we would love to see you there!!

10/15/2026

SEOYM will be at the NAMI Walks event this Saturday, October 17th!

NAMI Walks is a fundraising event all about mental health awareness. On the website, they describe the event as “more than a walk. it’s a movement - a celebration of individuals, families, and communities coming together for one powerful purpose: mental heath for all.” We hope to see you there this Saturday! We will have resources, activities, games, and a raffle basket (see second slide) 💚

10/13/2026

Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring is excited to celebrate our 40th anniversary! Cheers to another 40 of supporting the community!

08/26/2026

Calling all OU students! 📣🍎

Need service hours? Looking to get involved off campus? Missing the fun of working with kids?

Join our After School Care Program as a volunteer helper! One of our most popular seasonal volunteer options! Spend your afternoons playing games, helping with activities, building positive relationships, and making a real impact in the lives of local youth.

✅ Personalized scheduling ✅ Great experience working with youth ✅ Service-learning & volunteer hours ✅ Plenty of smiles and fun

Send us a message to get started! 💙

Email: [email protected]
Or give us a ring! 📞: 740.797.0037

08/05/2026

Shoutout to The Star Chamber Arcade !

Did you know our community mentors carry a Mentor Discount Card when they're out with their mentees?

Thanks to The Star Chamber Arcade , our matches enjoy free soft drinks while they're taking on the pinball machines and arcade games. It's a simple gesture that helps make mentoring a little more fun.

Know a local business that would like to support local youth? We'd love to add more community partners to our Mentor Discount Card! Whether it's a discount, a free item, or a special offer, every little bit helps our mentors create great memories.

06/05/2026

Today we're celebrating our Program Coordinator, Kara Kowalski!

After nine months of learning, growing, and investing in her leadership development, Kara graduated from the Healthy Leadership, Healthy Organizations program through the Appalachian Children’s Coalition.

What makes this accomplishment especially meaningful is that Kara chose Southeast Ohio. She wasn't born and raised here, but she has invested herself in this community, built relationships, and made plans to build her future here. We need talented, caring people who are willing to put down roots and help strengthen our communities, and Kara is doing exactly that.

Over the past nine months, she has balanced this program while continuing to show up for our youth, mentors, families, schools, and community partners. And because she's Kara, she even squeezed in a stop at the Athens County Youth Summit today before jumping right back into the work.

At Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring, we believe strong communities are built through relationships, and strong organizations are built by people who are committed to learning and growing. We're proud of Kara for this accomplishment, grateful for everything she brings to our team, and excited to see where her leadership journey takes her next.

Please join us in congratulating her!

04/29/2026

As Bobcats and Buddies comes to a close, we asked our youth participants in the program to reflect on the program, what they liked and what they learned… here’s what they said.

Bobcats and Buddies is a program that pairs Ohio University Medical Students with local youth for friendship, fun and positive encouragement. Through shared activities and support, kids build confidence and connection. Bobcats and Buddies explores themes of wellness, and even a day of exploring the medical school.

04/09/2026

✨Program Spotlight: Youth in Leadership✨
My name is Hannah Granato, and I am a current social work intern with Southeast Ohio Youth Mentoring:) Through my practicum, I’ve been honored to lead our Youth in Leadership (YIL) program, which has shown me firsthand just for how insightful, creative, and inspiring our youth truly are.

YIL is a 10-week program at Nelsonville-York Elementary, where Ohio University student teachers mentor 4th grade students. Each week, we focused on building confidence, self-expression, and positive self-worth through hands-on, meaningful activities. From creating “confidence boxes” (pictured in slide 5) filled with affirmations, to designing “emotion rainbows,” (pictured in slide 7) playing self-confidence bingo, and even tackling a mini escape room—every session was filled with growth, laughter, and connection.

Today marked our final session, and we couldn’t have asked for better weather ☀️ We celebrated by creating sidewalk chalk messages to spread positivity throughout the school. It was the perfect way to wrap up such a special experience.

I am incredibly proud of the dedication and heart that both our mentors and mentees brought every single Thursday. While it’s bittersweet to see this program come to an end, I’m hopeful that it made a lasting impact 🤍

Address

449 E State St
Athens, OH
45701

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 3pm
Tuesday	9am - 3pm
Wednesday	9am - 3pm
Thursday	9am - 3pm
Friday	9am - 3pm

Telephone

+17407970037

Website

http://www.seoyouthmentoring.org/

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