"Wow you struggle with that too."
These are the words uttered from some of the youth I have
mentored when sharing my personal struggles in life.
Some of the struggles I have shared include:
No I haven't always done the right thing.
Yes I have disappointed my parents with some of my
choices.
I have even had self-esteem and self-confidence issues at
times.
I have made major mistakes and even lost a scholarship
for failing academically.
However, through it all I have been able to get back up
when facing defeat through the help of some positive mentors.
Honesty and transparency work the best when mentoring youth.
In addition, below I like to share five tips that work the best when mentoring
youth.
- Listen
without initial judgment.
Starting a mentoring relationship with a young person can be
a fragile trust building exercise. You have to be able to listen with care with
the personal information that is shared. Often you will be the adult insight
without the worry of being the parent who won't listen. You can provide a sense
of guidance on decision-making but you have to be able to listen to understand
first without exercising harsh judgment.
- Show
you care.
Young people don't care what you know initially they want to
know you care about what who they are and what they are going through. Don't
make your conversations a one-way exchange in which you try to dictate only
what you want your mentee to do. Show you care for the well being of your
mentee in every interaction be sincere.
- Be
relatable.
The first time I was a part of a mentoring program the youth
informed me "I don't care what you do in your career if you try to act
picture perfect around me I won't listen. Nobody is perfect they are only
pretending to be." I took these words to heart and realized that I was
once a young person and have had some of the same struggles as today's youth.
Every time I find it possible I share my own personal struggles and
accomplishments with my mentees. No matter what I make myself relatable and
never try to appear infallible.
- Have
fun and let your guard down a little.
Have fun with your mentee pick some outdoor activities or
some exercises where you both can let your guard down and relax a little. Make
sure you are consistently doing this it is also a part of trust building. Be
sure to alternate between yourself and your mentee on choosing the fun
exercises.
- Be
willing to learn from them.
Yes you have lived a lot and bring a wealth of knowledge and
experiences to share with your mentee. However, the world today is constantly
changing and evolving very fast and you can also learn from the youth today.
Young people are experiencing things much earlier in life and have great
insight into the mind of their generation. Here once again you must be a great
listener to understand and learn how you can continue to make a positive impact
on the life of your mentee.
Hope you’ve enjoyed these tips and will use them to make
your youth mentoring relationships more successful.
A.M. Morgan(Alicia M Morgan) is a problem-solving
engineer who decided to turn her nonprofit volunteering passions for training
and leadership development into a new energizing career. Currently, Nonprofit
Management Certified with an ecstatic love for creativity, storytelling and
inspiring others to be authentic in every aspect of life. Featured Content
Expert on Plaid for Women. Find more content on A.M. Morgan
From https://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140510173751-5183860-5-tips-for-mentoring-youth
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