The Power of Youth Mentorship

Mentorship is an exercise in possibility. Like sculptors who see potential in unshaped stone, mentors see the possibilities in youths who may not see it themselves. Youth mentorship brings children and adolescents hope, confidence, and belief. But it’s more than just a pep talk. Mentorship holds great power for youth development, and causes positive changes with substantial outcomes.

Here is an exploration of youth mentorship today, and the many ways it impacts lives for the better.

EFFECTIVE YOUTH MENTORING

The National Mentoring Resource Center specifies that youth mentoring “takes place between young persons (i.e., mentees) and older or more experienced persons (i.e., mentors) who are acting in a non-professional helping capacity to provide support that benefits one or more areas of the mentee’s development.”

Mentoring can be either formal or informal, depending on whether it was arranged through youth mentoring programs or came about by happenstance. Additionally, there are many formats in which mentorship can occur. These include the following:

• Traditional mentoring typically involves one adult and one young person.

• Group mentoring involves one adult and up to four young people.

• Team mentoring involves several adults working with small groups of young people in which the adult-to-youth ratio is not greater than 1:4.

• Peer mentoring involves a youth mentoring another youth.

• E-mentoring involves mentoring via email, social media, or other forms of internet communication.

Although there are a variety of ways in which youth mentorship can take place, the most effective, powerful mentoring happens when the mentor and the mentee are a good match. That connection provides a solid foundation for the exchange of wisdom, experience, guidance, and support.

Lastly, the power of mentorship is elevated when mentors exhibit beneficial characteristics. The Harvard School of Public Health recommends that mentors be “good listeners, confidential in all matters relating to their mentee, tolerant, non-judgmental, reliable, and consistent.” When mentors are capable and mentees can find the right kind of mentorship with a mentor that suits them, incredible things can happen. Youth mentorship is an opportunity for amazing growth, positive experiences, and life-changing development.

WHY IS MENTORSHIP IMPORTANT?: THE IMPACT OF YOUTH MENTORSHIP

The benefits of youth mentoring highlight the importance of mentorship, which brings a vast and positive influence to the lives of mentored youths and those around them. Here is a sampling of some of the ways youth mentorship makes a difference.

PERSONAL BENEFITS

For youth, mentorship brings an abundance of advantages, including a trend toward healthier choices. With guidance from mentors, mentees learn to weigh their decisions with the consequences in mind. This is why mentorship is often used as a method for preventing and reducing delinquent behavior, and has been shown to improve overall attitude. Mentored youths are 46% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs, and 81% more likely to participate regularly in sports or extracurricular activities.

In addition to benefiting from these healthier choices, youths also benefit from an improvement in their mental health. Mentees experience increased self-esteem and self-confidence as they learn and grow. They are also inspired by their mentors’ belief in them, and find motivation from that positive support. Mentors can also step in to fill a vital role in mental health care when youths might otherwise fall through gaps.

Mentees also benefit from the knowledge and experience their mentors pass on. Through their relationship and interactions with their mentors, youths can learn things that aren’t taught in the classroom, such as social skills, philosophical lessons, and practical life skills.

FUTURE-FOCUSED BENEFITS

Youth mentorship is doubly powerful because of its ability to affect not only the present, but the future. Students with mentors commonly display improved academic performance and greater hopes for future outcomes. Young adult mentees are 130% more likely to hold leadership positions, and 90% of mentees report interest in becoming mentors themselves. They also often receive guidance from their mentors on career decision-making and future aspirations.

All of these influences come together to create a more hopeful future for mentored youths. The social and emotional support and opportunities for advancement can have dramatic consequences for entire families by helping break cycles of poverty. In this way, youth mentorship is not just a benefit for the mentees alone, but a path to a healthier, more equal, and much richer world.

Here at One New Humanity, we’re taking those steps toward a better world by offering a youth mentorship program that covers topics on entrepreneurship, leadership, and community gardening in our very own garden, Sylhet Farm. From our premises in the Banglatown neighborhood of Detroit and Hamtramck, we serve our local immigrant, refugee, and low-income communities in a variety of creative and valuable ways. Our youth mentees and other volunteers are an invaluable part of what we do!

Our community initiatives like Sylhet Farm, Sisterhood Fitness, and the upcoming C. Love Bakery make an incredible impact on the lives of Banglatown residents. You can be part of that by donating now to support our work! If you’re in the Detroit area, consider dropping off in-kind donations, organizing a collection drive, or shopping at our nonprofit thrift store, Joy Thrift in Hamtramck! Together we can elevate our beautiful community, and bring joy and support to those who need it most.