Being a mentor sometimes goes unrecognized and overlooked, but can have a tremendous influence in shaping the education, career, emotional well-being, and health choices of a young person. Throughout my own life, I have been mentored by a wide range of important individuals such as my parents, teachers, coworkers, pastors, my older siblings and, this year, my AmeriCorps host site mentor. These individuals have helped me realize my full worth and potential as a person and have helped me accomplish my dreams. This year, I have had the opportunity to become a mentor for a student at Oakleaf Junior High School as part of my service with the YMCA’s Take Stock in Children program.
I have helped my mentee, James*, set realistic goals for his future as well as helped him take steps in the short term to achieve those goals. Some of his goals include making the football team at Oakleaf High School, making A’s and B’s throughout his school years, and going to and graduating college at Florida State University. Mentoring matters to me because it allows me to make a positive impact on another person’s life. I hope that by sharing my life experiences, shortcomings, and successes, I can help James accomplish much more in his own life. Much of my time as a mentor involves providing good advice, but also being a good listener. I work hard to show James that I am trustworthy, understanding, respectful, and responsible, and hope that he will grow up to exhibit these qualities himself.
Benefits for Mentees
Research shows that mentoring is highly effective in making positive changes in the lives of young people. A recent study on mentoring at-risk youth found that the strongest benefit observed was a reduction of depressive symptoms (Herrera, DuBois, and Grossman, 2013). Mentoring has also been shown to help reduce negative behaviors in young people, improving both their health and their safety. Statistics from the study show:
● Youth who meet regularly with a mentor are 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs.
● 81% of teens believe that talking with a mentor helps reduce teen pregnancy
● 59% of mentored teens make better grades in school
● 52% of mentored teens are less likely to skip school
Benefits for Mentors
There are many positive benefits for the mentor as well. Through my mentoring experience with the Take Stock in Children program, I have developed a sense of accomplishment, and have noticed an increase in my creative thinking and motivating skills. Mentoring has also helped me re-connect with my own “inner child” during activities and conversations with my mentee.
Making a Difference
The need for mentors is very great, both in the Jacksonville area and all over the country. I encourage everyone who is reading this to become a mentor to someone, whether it be through an organization, a church, or even with a family member. As leaders we should not just focus on our personal problems and race to the top, but instead engage with the people around us who can benefit from our time and attention. Make the decision to mentor someone and help them make it through their difficult situations as well as their successes. When you do, you’ll see the difference it will make in your own life. We all have people who have gone the extra mile and impacted our lives – now is the time to be the one to make an impact on someone else’s life.
*Name has been changed for confidentiality purposes
Being a mentor sometimes goes unrecognized and overlooked, but can have a tremendous influence in shaping the education, career, emotional well-being, and health choices of a young person. Throughout my own life, I have been mentored by a wide range of important individuals such as my parents, teachers, coworkers, pastors, my older siblings and, this year, my AmeriCorps host site mentor. These individuals have helped me realize my full worth and potential as a person and have helped me accomplish my dreams. This year, I have had the opportunity to become a mentor for a student at Oakleaf Junior High School as part of my service with the YMCA’s Take Stock in Children program.