National Mentoring Month

Many of the young people we serve lack strong familial relationships, or relationships with family at all. Many have lost parents to death or incarceration and many because their family does not accept their gender identity or sexuality. Regardless of the reason, lacking natural mentors is traumatic and makes decision making and goal setting much harder. Young people need to see that healthy, hopeful lives are possible and that they have people beside them that believe in their success.

Like the young people that come through our doors, at Pathfinders we encourage diversity in a mentor. Mentors come in many different forms here, from case managers and other staff to volunteers that run financial or legal literacy groups, etc. We have seen that powerful mentor relationships happen when young people who have been with Pathfinders through their own personal traumas are empowered to share their stories and lend their support to other youth. We value youth voices at Pathfinders, not only to inform how we serve other young people effectively, but as influential peer guidance.

Help us celebrate National Mentoring Month by positively guiding youth in your lives and recognizing that they are future mentors themselves.