How to Do Your Best as a Mentor to Inner-City Teens

Be sure to show compassion and patience when mentoring inner-city students.

Because life for inner city teens can be difficult, it's beneficial for them to have mentors who will keep them on the right path and offer encouragement. When mentoring, you should ask questions about the teens' daily lives because this gives you an idea of what issues you may have to tackle to help them. Always show compassion when you offer constructive criticism because this keeps teens from getting defensive and allows them to think about what you're trying to teach. You can become a mentor by signing up with local branches of mentoring agencies such as Boys and Girls' Club and Big Brothers Big Sisters. You can also volunteer through your church's youth group.

Instructions

1. Get the child's parents involved. If the child is interested in attending a few open houses that are being sponsored by colleges in your area, visit the child's home and discuss with the parents what the child's goals are. Have the parents talk about what they feel the child's weaknesses and strengths are and also what they think the child needs improvement on in order to attend college.

2. Go to activities together. Ask the child what he is interested in, and seek out activities that relate to those interests. For example, if the child wants to attend some local cooking classes to learn to cook, take the child to the local community college's cooking classes. Or if the child shows an interest in live jazz music, research some upcoming free jazz concerts in the area that will allow children to attend.

3. Share your life experiences. Part of being a good mentor is using the life lessons you learned to shape the other person's future. If you endured an abusive dating relationship when you were in college, talk to the child about what signs to look for in a bad relationship and how to determine if a dating relationship is healthy. If you were the primary breadwinner in your family as a teen because your parents lost their jobs temporarily, explain the importance of a strong work ethic and managing money wisely.

References

• Huffington Post: Crenshaw High Kids Struggle and Succeed Despite Post-Traumatic Stress
• Newton Public Schools: How to Be a Good Mentor