Mentorship: a powerful life experience on both sides
Think back to your youth. Whether it was 10, 15 or 20 years ago, you likely remember someone who made a profound impact on your life. It could have been a neighbour, a teacher, or a coach who was there to support you through the ups and downs that come with adolescence. These are people who helped guide you as you built a strong foundation for the life ahead of you.
In late 2019, Statistics Canada released job numbers that indicated unemployment for young men between 15-24 was at levels not seen since 1983. Having a strong and supportive mentor and role model plays a significant role in helping all young people develop skills that can help them find employment.
January is Mentoring Month in Canada
This month, MENTOR Canada, the Alberta Mentorship Project and other organizations across the country are working together to showcase and celebrate mentorship and the impact it can directly have on your community.
There is a significant focus on recruiting new mentors to support our young people. According to a MENTOR Canada presentation in May 2020, more than 1,000 new mentors had participated in online training in the last year.
As a mentor, you can directly help a young person:
Build confidence (84% of mentees feel this way!)
Increase their social skills (89% of mentees feel this way!)
Stay in school (81% of mentees feel this way!)
Mentorship can also create a beautiful circle of support through the community. In fact those who were mentored as kids are two times more likely to mentor as adults.
Being a mentor can also provide a powerful life experience for you as an adult, providing benefits such as:
Developing your skills as a leader and coach
Establishing a new relationship with someone who can offer new ideas and perspectives
The satisfaction of giving back to the community through helping someone learn and grow
“When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.” - Michelle Obama
Love the concept of being a mentor, but keep talking yourself out of it? Let’s flip things around! Check out this great article from Alberta Mentoring Partnership that takes the top 10 reasons people give for not being a mentor and offers you a bit more context about how you can still help.
For more information on how to become a mentor through Some Other Solutions, reach out!