My parents taught me the importance of giving back to the community and I have been involved in community activities since I was a teenager. Helping others gives me the greatest joy and I’m always inspired by the Ralph Waldo Emerson quote, “to know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived. This is to have succeeded.” As a teenager I was involved in church activities serving the community and from time to time in my working career, I have been engaged in programs with young adults such as Boys & Girls Clubs, United Way to name a few. When I saw the following statistics, it moved me to write this article.
These statistics underscore the importance of having someone in a young person’s life that that they can look up to as a positive role model. As they learn from this older person, the older person may soon become a mentor. Ultimately, mentoring connects a young person to personal growth and development, and social and economic opportunity.
However, mentors are not just for young children or youth in the home community. Mentors can also be someone in the workplace or an online community. Some dictionary definitions for a mentor are “a trusted counselor or guide.” This is because mentoring means looking beyond the professional's current job function by taking a more holistic approach to career development.
Thinking back throughout my life, I have been blessed with mentors whom I like to call my "guardian angels" who helped me as a young person and even in my career. A few teachers who believed that I had immense talent and kept encouraging me even when I thought I couldn't afford to dream. And in my work career, some taught me work skills and some empowered me with life skills.
I have enjoyed some great interactions with younger co-workers and interns from time to time - many of whom have gone on to great success in their careers. They have also left deep footprints in my heart from their openness to share their goals.
My most recent interaction has particularly touched me because I had the pleasure of working with a beautiful young graduate who was the bright spot in my busy week for several months. Through our interactions, as I shared my experiences of working with younger people, I was able to impress upon her the importance of mentoring. And to my delight and inexplicable joy, although she was initially not interested, she signed up to become a mentor at grad school!
Have you ever mentored anyone or thought of mentoring - officially or unofficially?
#mentoring #youngadults #community #giving back
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