How Youth Mentoring Can Help You

​As the song goes, "we all need somebody to lean on." No matter where you come from in life, it's important to have a mentor. A mentor is a person who gives you guidance in your life and helps you grow as a person. However, more and more young Americans are growing up without one.

If you're in need of some guidance, here are a few ways mentoring can help you.

Stay on Track

You may feel your life is tough or going downhill. In this case, mentoring helps you get back on track, and stay there. It helps you with any problems you may be having, which helps keep you healthy in both body and mind. For example, mentoring helps your relationship with school and others. Most young people who had mentors ended up with:¹

• Better attitudes about school.
• More confidence.
• Better chances of moving on to college.
• Better relationships with their parents, teachers, and peers.

Mentoring can help stop you from falling into harmful habits like illegal drugs, alcohol, truancy, and violence. It can also help stop you from falling into mental health problems that are harmful in the long run. Remember, your mental health is just as important as your physical health. That's one of the reasons mentoring is so important.

Get Inspired

Did you know that 1 in 3 young people will grow up without a mentor? That doesn't just mean formal mentoring, either.³ 33 percent of young people will grow up without someone to look up to. That's a pretty big chunk of people! Not having someone to look up to could lead to becoming lost on the path of life.  

One of the best things mentoring can do is give you someone to inspire you, someone who can be your role model. Role models help you deal with tough and stressful situations in life, as well as major changes.¹

Young people with mentors have some inspiring stories to tell. If you'd like to read some, check out this page.

Find Someone to Lean On

Seeking a mentor is nothing to be afraid or ashamed of! First of all, mentors are not meant to replace your parents, guardians, or teachers. If your relationship with those people is troubled, remember that mentors aren't there to fill that role.²

Second, mentors are not strict "bosses" who only make sure you follow the rules. A mentor should be someone you know will always be there for you, no matter what. They build you up instead of breaking you down. They also give you emotional support and guidance during hard times.²

Remember that seeking help does not make you weak. No matter what anyone tries to tell you, people need support and role models to make it through life.

Finding a Mentor

A mentor can be any person who acts as both a "life coach" and a friend. While there are formal mentoring programs out there – like Big Brothers Big Sisters – any adult you know can be your mentor. If you are looking for a formal program, you can search for one here.

Sources

¹https://youth.gov/youth-topics/mentoring/benefits-mentoring-young-people

²http://www.mentoring.org/get-involved/find-a-mentor/

³http://www.mentoring.org/get-involved/become-a-mentor/