Guide Others as a Mentor
We believe that having a mentor can be a transformative tool in the lives of young people. Being a mentor doesn’t only change your mentee’s life, it also changes yours.
What Makes a Good Mentor
Before becoming a mentor, here are a few things to understand about the role of mentoring. Mentors assume these different roles during the course of a relationship, and share some basic qualities:
- A sincere desire to be involved with a young person
- Respect for peers and other young people
- Active listening skills
- Empathy
- Flexibility
Mentoring relationships are a shared opportunity for learning and growth. Many mentors say that the rewards they gain are as substantial as those for their mentees, and that mentoring has enabled them to:
- Have fun
- Achieve personal growth and learn more about themselves
- Improve their self-esteem and feel they are making a difference
- Above all, a good mentor is willing to take the time to get to know their mentee, to learn new things that are important to the young person, and even to be changed by their relationship.
- Have better interpersonal communication.