Becoming a Mentor

​If you're interested in becoming a mentor yourself, you'll first need to decide if it's a good option for you. You should really want to serve as a mentor because mentorship is for a good cause that people care about. It's more than just a role and shouldn't to be taken lightly. You should also have respect for young people in general, and a sense of empathy. Being a mentor will require you to closely listen to your mentee and to see their situation through their eyes.¹

Steps to Take

If you've decided mentorship is for you, you'll need to ask yourself a few things before looking for an organization. These questions will help you find what kind of program is the best fit for you. First, ask yourself, "What kind of time commitments do you already have?" For mentorship to be possible, it will need to fit into your schedule. When you explore programs, make sure it's possible to participate while still having time for responsibilities in your life that you can't forget about.

The next question you'll need to ask yourself is what kind of mentor format are you seeking. Some mentor programs involve one adult working with one young person. Others have one working with a group of youths. Some even pair a group of adults up with one child. The program could focus on helping them with class work, while another could focus on helping youth pursue a certain skill or interest. Some programs just aim to help the person with their life in general. With that said, these are all things you'll need to take into account when you're trying to find a program.¹

Once you have an idea on what type of mentorship program you are interested in, get started by speaking with each organization's coordinator and telling them you're interested in mentoring a young person. As mentioned in our Why Youth Mentoring Matters article, you can search for programs on the National Mentoring Partnership website. When speaking with the organization's coordinator, ask them these questions:¹

• Does your organization have any volunteer positions open?
• How do you match young people with mentors?
• What is your application process like for volunteers?
• What mentoring options does your program offer?
• Are there any training options for volunteers?

Then, let them know a bit about yourself. This includes:¹

• What kind of time commitment you can make.
• The number of young people you'd like to mentor.
• The area of mentorship you're interested in.

Points to Remember

Mentoring may seem like a lot to jump into. You may find yourself worrying about not being able to relate with the mentee, not being accepted, or even being caught up in more serious situations that could arise.¹

These are reasonable concerns to have, however, remember that you're there to help your mentee in the ways you are able. Think of any times you helped a friend or family member with something. The approach you'll want to take in youth mentoring isn't much different. At the end of the day, mentoring is offering support and building a positive relationship. No matter what kind of mentor you become, always keep this in mind, don't be scared, and just put in your best efforts.¹

Sources

¹https://www.mentoring.org/get-involved/become-a-mentor/