We do a lot of mentoring at the youth centre. In fact, it’s probably what we do the most. Unlike most clinical services for youth, we desire to build relationships with the teens who attend the youth centre. These relationships of trust, which always take time to establish, are the foundation for affecting positive change in a young person’s life.
Mentoring doesn’t look the same for everyone, since everyone is unique. So taking the time to genuinely get to know a teen, spending some time in authentic community with one another, and then figuring out together what a better future looks like for that teen is a great way to move forward.
Sometimes mentoring just happens naturally, unofficially, as teens attend our drop-in programs. Sometimes it involves connecting with them outside our scheduled programs and talking more specifically about the challenges and struggles they face. And sometimes mentoring is just about getting together and having fun because having fun is still absolutely vital in the life of a teen.
Finally, there are times when the mentoring process should be much more intentional and highly structured. If this is something you’d like to explore (teen or parent) please reach out. We’d be happy to connect and discuss the opportunities that exist.
