Pictured, a Chautauqua Striders community-based mentee receives her first public library card at the Hazeltine Public Library as part of her work with her mentor.

The AAUW-Jamestown Branch and Chautauqua Striders are collaborating on a panel discussion program titled “Mentoring Matters” in celebration of National Mentoring Month.

The program will be held at 6 p.m. Wednesday in the James Prendergast Library Fireplace Room, 509 Cherry St., Jamestown. The program is free and open to the public. A panel discussion, moderated by Erika Muecke, Chautauqua Striders directory of mentoring and advocacy, will be followed by a question-and-answer session and discussion. Panelists will include Kim Ecklund, long-time mentor; Yanira Castellano, Chautauqua Striders high school mentoring coordinator; Christina Marsh, AAUW-Jamestown Branch president and school-based social worker, who refers students to Chautauqua Striders for mentoring.

Attendees will learn about mentoring, both for the mentor and mentee, and how time spent together with a child or youth can impact a young person as an extra source of consistent encouragement, support, community experience, positive role model, and meaningful relationship.

There are opportunities to become a mentor in all of the three Chautauqua Striders’ mentoring programs — community, school, or project-based.

AAUW advances equity for women and girls through research, education, and advocacy. To learn more about AAUW, visit aauw.org or jamestown-ny.aauw.net

For more information call 490-2616.