Mentoring: How to Empower Someone, One Hour at a Time

When I first started mentoring, I was in middle school. I was a tutor for a Cambodian refugee who spoke truly little English. She was a sweet girl who was several years older than me, but she had little education in her home country. However, I remember her being very smart, and she picked up everything we worked on very quickly. In fact, by the time she learned enough English for us to easily communicate, she was able to jump to high school, where she belonged age-wise.

As an empath, I have always felt the need to help others through tough times. A part of me even wanted to be a teacher until I worked as a substitute teacher off and on for five years. I then realized my tolerance for children was minimal and the acceptance of the political B.S. that came with a teacher’s life was not for me. Plus, the pay was squat for all the hassles.

However, before I digress, I want to talk to you about the multitude of opportunities to volunteer or mentor in your community and elsewhere.

Mentoring is a fulfilling and enjoyable way to share your knowledge and experiences with someone else. So many people come up with questions and excuses why they don’t get involved. Often people don’t understand what mentoring is, so they don’t want to volunteer. Or they feel like they don’t have time to commit. Sometimes, it’s just not knowing where to start. I am here to dispel some of those concerns.

What is Mentoring?

Mentoring is a collaborative and supportive relationship between a more experienced individual (the mentor) and a less experienced individual (the mentee or protégé). It is a process where the mentor provides guidance, knowledge, and support to help the mentee achieve their personal, professional, or educational goals.

Mentoring involves sharing wisdom, experience, and expertise to empower the protégé and foster their development. It goes beyond simply providing information or advice; it is about building a trusting and constructive relationship that facilitates learning, growth, and self-discovery.

There are many advantages to mentoring. For the protégé, mentoring can help them to:

• Advance their abilities and information
• Acquire professional direction and knowledge
• Network with experienced experts
• Increase their confidence

For the mentor, mentoring can help them to:

• Give back to their community
• Share their insight and experience
• Further their own administration abilities
• Keep up-to-date on industry standards and practices

There are three primary kinds of mentoring:

Conventional one-on-one mentoring: This is the most widely recognized kind of mentoring. A mentor and protégé are coordinated, either through a program or all alone, and they meet consistently to examine the protégé’s objectives and improvement.

Remote mentoring: This happens between two individuals who are not in a similar area. They might meet through telephone, email, or video visits.

Group mentoring: A solitary mentor is coordinated with a group of protégés. The mentor meets with the group, as well as each protégé one on one.

Why Would I Want to be a Mentor?

Mentors play a crucial role in providing guidance, support, and encouragement to their mentees. The specific activities and responsibilities of mentors can vary depending on the goals and needs of the protégé, as well as the context of the mentoring relationship. As a mentor, you might do one or even all of these:

• Share knowledge and expertise
• Help set goals and action plans:
• Provide feedback and constructive criticism
• Offer support and encouragement
• Offer networking opportunities and introductions
• Share experiences and stories
• Guide career development
• Build confidence and self-belief
• Act as a sounding board
• Encourage personal growth and self-reflection

The specific responsibilities and activities of mentors can vary widely depending on the context and purpose of the mentoring relationship. The mentor’s role is to guide, support, and empower their protégé throughout their journey, tailoring their approach to the individual’s needs and aspirations.

Oh, I Just Don’t Have the Time!

The amount of time required for mentoring can vary depending on several factors, including the specific mentoring arrangement, the goals and needs of the mentee, and your own availability. There are a few factors regarding the time commitment involved in mentoring.

Frequency and Duration of the Interactions

Mentoring can involve regular meetings or interactions with your mentee. These meetings can take place in person, over the phone, or through video calls. The frequency and duration of these interactions can be agreed upon between you and your mentee based on their needs and availability. Some mentoring relationships may involve weekly or bi-weekly meetings, while others may occur monthly or on a more flexible schedule.

Length of the Mentoring Relationship

A mentoring relationship can vary depending on the two parties involved. Some mentoring engagements may be short-term and focused on specific goals or projects, lasting a few weeks or months. In contrast, other mentoring relationships may be more long-term, lasting several months or even years. The duration can depend on the mentee’s objectives and the support they require.

Preparation and Follow-up Time

Mentoring often involves some degree of preparation and follow-up. Before each mentoring session, you might need to review materials, gather resources, or reflect on the mentee’s progress. Similarly, after each meeting, you may document key points, set action plans, or provide additional resources. The time spent on preparation and follow-up can vary depending on the nature of the mentoring relationship.

Availability and Commitment

Your own availability and commitment level are key factors in determining the time you can dedicate to mentoring. Assess your schedule and consider how much time you can realistically allocate for mentoring activities. Being consistent and reliable in your availability is crucial for building trust and maintaining a productive mentoring relationship.

It’s important to have open and honest communication with your protégé to establish clear expectations regarding the time commitment from both parties. Discuss and agree upon the frequency and duration of meetings, preferred modes of communication, and any specific time constraints or scheduling preferences.

Remember that mentoring is a voluntary commitment, and it’s essential to find a balance that works for both you and your mentee. Flexibility, adaptability, and open communication are crucial to ensuring a successful and rewarding mentoring experience for both parties!

But I Don’t Know Where to Start!

Mentoring can be an important encounter for both the mentor and the protégé. If you are keen on finding a guide, there are numerous assets accessible to help you. You can ask your manager, school, or local area association on the off chance that they have a mentoring program.

There are several places where you can offer your services without any financial cost if you wish to become a mentor.

You can reach out to local schools and educational institutions and inquire about volunteer mentoring opportunities. Many educational institutions appreciate volunteers who can provide guidance and support to students.

Check into nonprofit organizations.

Many nonprofit organizations rely on volunteer mentors to run their mentoring programs. Look for local nonprofits that align with your interests and see if they have mentoring initiatives in place. Examples include organizations focusing on youth development, career counseling, or personal growth.

Look into community centers, youth clubs, or after-school programs in your area.

These organizations often welcome volunteer mentors who can engage with young people, provide guidance, and serve as positive role models.

Explore local volunteer organizations that work with specific populations or causes that interest you.

While not all volunteer opportunities involve mentoring explicitly, some programs may have mentoring components or the potential for mentorship relationships to develop.

Examine Professional associations and employers

Many professional associations and employers have mentoring programs where members or employees can volunteer as mentors to support others in their field. Reach out to associations in your area or industry to inquire about any available opportunities.

Check out the multitude of online mentoring platforms.

Many offer free mentorship opportunities. Be sure to check each platform’s specific terms and conditions regarding volunteer mentorship before signing up.

Remember that even if you’re offering your services for free, it’s important to be clear about your expectations, boundaries, and the time commitment you can dedicate to mentoring. Setting clear communication and establishing a mutually beneficial relationship with your mentees is crucial for a successful mentoring experience.

My Experiences in Mentoring Continues

Over the years, I have been immensely proud to be involved with a couple of different mentoring platforms.

The first was Kids Hope USA.

Through a Kids Hope USA mentor program, students meet once a week for one hour with a mentor. This one-on-one attention of another caring and consistent adult in a student’s life makes a difference. Kids Hope USA is a mentoring program supported by local churches based out of Zeeland, MI.

I was a Christian Education and Kids Hope Director for the three years I was involved in the program. During that time, not only did I work one on one with a disadvantaged child, but I had the opportunity to foster care with the ten children involved in our program through our after-school program that I created (with a wonderful bunch of volunteers). As most of our kids were latch-key children, it gave each of them a warm place to go once a week and socialize with kids and caring adults alike. I enjoyed working with these kids as I felt I was not only giving something back, but I knew that each child was learning how to trust and support others.

Schools and the Girl Scouts

Throughout the years between my Kids Hope experience and today, I spent several years working in after-school programs and mentoring situations. At one point, I even worked for the Girl Scouts as an instructor for middle and high school kids on monetary responsibility! Believe me, that was not an easy gig!

And now…ACP

It wasn’t until I started working for my current company that I discovered my most recent mentoring program. I don’t know if it is that I am simply a mentor and not an administrator as I have been all the times prior, but my partnership with American Corporate Partners, or ACP, has been the most rewarding to me. ACP is a national nonprofit organization focused on helping returning veterans and active-duty spouses find their next careers through one-on-one mentoring, networking, and online career advice. ACP has partners from all walks of the corporate world. If you’re like me and have a “day job,” you might be interested in volunteering with ACP through your company.

I have had the privilege to work with three separate protégés who wanted to start their own small businesses in the two and a half years I have worked with ACP. Because of the nature of small business, I have not maintained the year-long mentorship with any of my three mentees.

Each of them has been rewarding in their own way, but it has been my honor to assist each of them in their journey to create and sustain their own small business (my second protégé) or determine that they were not quite ready to run their own small business (my first and third protégés).

As I have said often to others, I earned my Small Business Management/Entrepreneurship degree and realized that I did not want to run my own small business! So, having two mentees who realized that before they got in too deep emotionally or financially made me proud of the decisions they made.

There are so many places you can go to either find or be a mentor. These two were just two I have been highly involved with during my career.

Mentoring Platforms and their mission statements

Youth.gov (formerly FindYouthInfo.gov) was created by the Interagency Working Group on Youth Programs (IWGYP), composed of representatives from 13 federal departments and 12 federal agencies that support programs and services focusing on youth. The IWGYP promotes the goal of positive, healthy outcomes for youth.

HOPE Mentoring pairs incarcerated juveniles with college mentors who will support the student in their efforts to avoid recidivism by obtaining and maintaining employment. 

Idealist’s mission is to help build a world where all people can maintain free and dignified lives by inviting people everywhere to imagine, connect, and act.

VolunteerMatch: VolunteerMatch has put the power of technology to effective use by enabling the social sector to unlock over $14 billion worth of volunteer time. The award-winning nonprofit service has complemented and co-existed with commercial technologies to become the web’s largest and most popular volunteer recruiting platform.

National Mentoring Partnership: MENTOR’s mission is to fuel the quality and quantity of mentoring relationships for America’s young people and to close the mentoring gap for the one in three young people growing up without this critical support.

Each mentoring association has its “specialty.” There are countless spots that request volunteers, and the scope of exercises is unending. Because of our recent digital connection age, you can even chip in virtually!

My Final $.02 on Mentoring, For What It’s Worth

Mentoring is a powerful relationship that can benefit both the mentor and the protégé. If you are considering becoming a mentor, I encourage you to do so. It is a way to make a difference in the lives of others and to learn and grow yourself.

If you have had a positive mentoring experience, I would love to hear your story! Or, if you know of a mentoring relationship or connection I didn’t mention here, please feel free to let me know in the comments!

Thank you for reading!