For Youth

Youth Mentoring Collaborative is proud to be a co-conspirator of youth by amplifying their voices, working collaboratively on initiatives, and actively working to dismantle inequitable systems.

"Mentor" vs. "Mentee"

Let's get some basic definitions out of the way.

A mentoring relationship contains two main elements: the mentor and the mentee.

A mentor is a volunteer with general life experience and competency, willing to take on the responsibilities associated with mentoring someone; this can include coaching, providing advice, helping with extracurricular activities, and other consistent support. A mentor is not a friend, parent, cousin, or sibling to the mentee; a mentor's role should be strictly defined through the mentoring program with which you are pursuing a relationship, or through EEPM's Guide.

A mentee is the youth being mentored - or, in the case of peer mentoring - the youth being guided and supported by the mentor.

Preparing for a New Mentoring Relationship

 

A short, one-pager full of tips for prospective youth mentees from youth mentees.

A guide designed by and for YouthBuild USA, as well as other mentoring organizations across the country and around the world.

Guide and Handout

A YouthBuild resource for finding and maintaining a successful mentoring relationship.

Full Guide

Feel Like Watching videos?

Enjoy our selection of youth-led, youth-concentrated webinars.

Maximizing Youth Voice: Youth-Led Discussion

Watch youth mentees provide their insights to mentoring practitioners and mentors on making sure that young voices are not only represented, but uplifted.

Black Youth Town Hall

The Black Youth Town Hall, hosted by Mentoring Action Network and MENTOR, to hold space for young black voices.

Amplifying the Voices of Black Girls

This webinar provides strategies and suggestions to give Black girls a voice, how to be an ally, and will give you the chance to hear what young women have to say about the issues impacting them the most.

True Colors: Mentoring for LGBTQ+ Youth

This webinar highlights the importance of empowering LGBTQ youth to achieve their full potential—despite the obstacles often put before them—to make a significant impact on society. Co-hosted by Torie Weiston-Serdan.

Peer Mentoring

 

What's peer mentoring? Peer Mentoring is a model of mentoring where an older adolescent or child is matched in an explicit mentoring relationship with one or more younger peers. Please contact us if you have questions about how to use these resources or if you need help with a peer mentorship: [email protected]

Peer Mentoring Guide

Explore the National Mentoring Resource Center's guide on Peer Mentoring, intended as a resource for mentees and families.

Peer Mentoring Handbook

Explore the National Mentoring Resource Center's guide on Peer Mentoring, intended as a resource for mentees and families. "This resource offers advice, strategies, and other information to older youth who will be serving as peer mentors to younger children in school and community settings."

 

"You don't have to have all the answers, you just have to be willing to share what you know." - Unknown

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Looking for a Mentor?

Mentoring Map in-progress!

Are you looking for a mentor, or a way to get involved in a mentoring project near you? We want to help! Stay tuned for our Mentoring Map, an interactive map that will help you locate mentoring organizations near you.

Youth gathered in a college library.

Program Resources

Here, you'll find a collection of resources on best practices for youth mentoring programs including MENTOR’s Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring™, and six supplements on various speciality models and populations.

MentorResources

Mentor Resources

Youth Mentoring Collaborative is proud to share vetted resources for individuals looking to improve their mentoring skills. You can explore this library for a wide range of resources including training modules, guides, and toolkits.

two BIPOC individuals, seemingly a mother and child, with their heads in their hands, engaged and smiling at something off screen

Caregivers Resources

When parents, guardians, and other caregivers work in harmony with mentors and program staff, it’s more likely that mentored youth will experience positive outcomes from the mentoring relationship.