There are few things in life better than investing time in young people. In Utah County, hundreds of children need help establishing relationships with adults who can be positive role models.
Safety Net Mentor Program, a local non-profit organization, is determined to help at-risk youth build positive relationships to aid in the difficulties of becoming successful and productive adults.
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Burleigh defined his life as “One with many challenges that I confronted and now use them to benefit others.”
“Daniel has the most amazing story,” said Karla Sedillo, director and founder of the Safety Net Program as well as a state-licensed social worker. “The story shows what the human spirit can do. It’s a great story to tell.”
Daniel grew up in a family in which the parents were separated. His father was an alcoholic and substance abuser, so Daniel spent a lot of time living on the streets. Eventually Daniel sought out the Division of Child and Family Services, asking to be placed into a foster home.
“I eventually reached a point where I had had enough, and turned myself into DCFS to get help,” Burleigh said. “We didn’t have food, I didn’t have a place to stay, hadn’t been attending school, and I was tired of the emotional roller-coaster from being with my dad. I was told I would be taken into state custody as a foster kid because of neglect. I remember being taken to my first foster home with only the dirty clothes on my back.”
Burleigh had a number of difficult experiences during his first and second foster homes, where he was exposed to inappropriate influences.
“I became somewhat jaded by the system that was supposed to be protecting me and didn’t have high expectations for myself either,” Burleigh said.
When Daniel was 15, he got into a home where he finally could bring down the walls he had.
“I started going back to church, improving my grades in school and with the help of counseling began rebuilding my relationship with my mother and father,” Burleigh said. “I have had the opportunity to experience a number of different homes and their varied ways of raising children. I learned more about the kind of family I wanted to have myself.”
At 17, Daniel chose to move out on his own through the Independent Living Program. After finishing his senior year of high school he departed on a two-year LDS mission to Okayama, Japan. About halfway through his mission, he received a call and found out his family had been in a car accident. He lost his 11-month old niece, his father and mother.
“Throughout my life I have endured and experienced a number of challenges,” Burleigh said. “I continue to struggle with the legacy of a broken home, but I also have gained many tools for success.”
Now, 10 years after completing his mission, he is married and has three kids. He completed a B.A. in psychology at Utah Valley University and then went on to graduate from BYU’s MBA program, with an emphasis on organizational behavior and strategy. Now he works for Microsoft as a talent and organizational capability consultant.
“Whatever my future holds, I know that I will be actively involved in reaching out to help others,” Burleigh said. “There are too many people who have influenced my life to even mention, but it’s important for me to make a difference in the lives of others, as many have done for me.”
Stories like Burleigh’s are not unique. There are many kids that need the guidance of someone to overcome difficult situations in their lives.
“It’s our belief that every child in our community deserves to have access to a concerned and responsible adult who will help guide and support them,” Sedillo said. “Mentors have the ability to help set and accomplish goals and act as a positive role model. By creating lifelong relationships, we can help children reach their full potential.”
The Safety Net Mentor Program exists to help children who have a greater chance of dropping out of school, using substances, becoming runaways or involved in correctional programs, simply because of their lack of positive, stable and consistent adult role models.
“We want to invite students to come and be part of the mentoring program,” Sedillo said. “It’s a great experience for them but also for the kids they are helping.”
Michael Bezzant, a BYU student from Colorado majoring in psychology, was invited by his brother to the mentoring program.
“I want to be able to reach out and invest in someone other than myself,” Bezzant said. “Focusing on someone other than one’s self brings greater meaning and purpose to life.”
Mentors spend a minimum of one hour weekly for a minimum of one year with a child. A monthly in-service meeting provides further training for mentors and gives them a chance to share ideas. Mentors must be at least 21 and undergo a formal background check.
“I want to make a difference in someone’s life. I hope that the mentoring I’m doing will give hope to my mentee and will provide a positive example for him,” said Jonathan Neubert, a BYU student majoring in microbiology.
“In Utah County there was a little boy homeless, there are other kids that need us,” Burleigh said. “You don’t need to go to Haiti or Ghana; more people should jump in and solve community problems.”
To learn more about the Safety Net Mentor Program and mentoring opportunities visit safetynetmentor.org or email .
