Having served on both the Executive Committee at Mentor International and Board of Directors at Mentor Sweden, David Haak has a deep understanding of the organization and commitment to its mission.
David Haak’s first initiative will be to motivate more business leaders to get more involved in sharing social capital with young people, especially those from socio-economically vulnerable communities. Mentor sees a growing need worldwide for positive role models, especially among such youth. The simple act of mentoring can reduce the likelihood of youth falling victim to high-risk behavior, including violence, abuse or exclusion.
Mentor’s biggest challenge is a universal one, to strengthen young people, contribute to them having a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood, counteract drug use and prevent young people from isolation and exclusion.
The chairmanship at Mentor will be an opportunity for David to contribute to the well – being of young people. “It is tough to be a teenager today. The gaps in society are growing, and the pandemic has made them more isolated than before. Being chairman of Mentor is my way of contributing to young people in socio-economically vulnerable areas getting a chance to reach their full potential. It is crucial for these young people, and for the whole society, to receive preventive measures that can reverse this development.”
Today, Mentor reaches thousands of young people every year and the goal is to greatly expand the organization’s reach and effect to try to out-pace that the need that has, at this point, accelerated. The goal, in Sweden alone, is to reach over 200,000, a third of its young people.
Mentor International / Mentor Sweden’s Secretary General Cecilia Bernard looks forward to working with David Haak in his role as chairman and believes his leadership experience, community development efforts and expansive network will be a great benefit to the organization.
“We, at Mentor, work with a powerful tool mentoring young people. I like to say we are bridge builders between young people and adults, between school and business, and from exclusion to community,” says Cecilia. “With David Haak as chairman, I am convinced that Mentor will attract more companies and business leaders.”
David has been involved with Mentor since 2017, beginning with his role representing Mentor’s global partner Zurich Insurance Company. He is currently a strategic advisor to Zurich.
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About Mentor International
Established in 1994 by H.M. Queen Silvia of Sweden in collaboration with members of the World Health Organization, Mentor International is a non-profit organization whose vision is a world where young people can grow and develop healthily and drug-free. Through the powerful tool mentoring, Mentor works to give young people stronger self-esteem, increased self-reliance and more faith in the future. Together with committed partners, including companies, schools and adult volunteers, Mentor implements programs for young people, provides support to parents, disseminates knowledge, and forms opinion. Mentor International, the umbrella organization for all Mentor organizations with presence in Europe, North America and the Middle East.