By Kriz Quintos
While it is widely acknowledged that mentorship is valuable for adults for their personal and professional growth, it is often mistaken that the scope of mentorship is only limited to those navigating the complexities of adulthood. In reality, mentorship is a versatile tool that transcends age boundaries, proving to be beneficial at various stages of life. It touches the lives of young people and even children, demonstrating that the impact of mentorship is not confined to a specific age group or life stage.
“Mentoring is one of the best gifts you can give to a child.”
– Big Brothers Big Sisters
Since mentorship builds social and emotional support, confidence, and resilience, it is safe to say that young people need a mentor like an adult to help ensure that they are ready for the next stages of their life such as college and career readiness
Being able to recognize the physical, intellectual, social, and emotional changes during early adolescence is important before properly assuming a mentoring mindset for the youth. Here are some of the changes adolescents are experiencing before and during mentoring:
Early Adolescence
This stage is where a youth has great physical, intellectual, social, and emotional growth. This is the stage where the child will explore more abstract thinking. In addition, children become more self-aware with their physical changes, which draws them to be more self-conscious and self-absorbed. This is also the stage where children may have diminished self-esteem. Their peers have a more significant impact on their lives during this stage wherein they will seek to become part of a group as they compare their normality and acceptance with same-sex peers. This stage also begins their exploration and understanding of defining their sexuality.
Middle Adolescence
Their physical development will be at its peak and begin slowing as their stature reaches approximately their adult height. Intellectually speaking, students will perform growing competence in abstract thinking. In this developmental stage, individuals grasp the potential consequences of their actions but don’t consistently apply this insight. Under stress, they revert to concrete thinking, avoiding risk analysis. Socially and emotionally, children delve into fantasy worlds and reevaluate their body image. This period involves intensified conflicts as they test parental limits, presenting opportunities for risky behaviors. Simultaneously, adolescents form cliques, relying more on peers than parents for behavioral cues. Exploring sexuality becomes a focal point, contributing to the development of personal codes and values. This stage is crucial in shaping self-identity and social dynamics.
The importance of mentoring youth at an early age cannot be overstated. Here are the principal benefits:
1. Enhanced emotional intelligence and well-being
2. Boost confidence
3. Deepening of skills
4. Forms healthy relationships
5. Perspective transformation
6. Academic improvement
7. Academic and career focus
8. Behavioral improvements
9. Better lifestyle choices
10. Improved interpersonal skills
Mentors must be recognized as authoritative figures whose goal is to communicate effectively with their mentees. If you position yourself in a parent-to-child dynamic, your mentee might perceive a lack of respect, a narrow understanding of their world, and an inability to comprehend their perspective. This may lead them to respond as if being scolded, hindering open communication.
The aim of your discussions should be to convey respect for your mentee, acknowledging their values and perspectives, while also recognizing their potentially limited experiences. Elevate the conversation to an adult level, treating them as equals, and share your life experiences and lessons learned as you would with a peer, reinforcing mutual understanding and growth. This way, you may achieve an effective mentorship with youth despite the gaps and differences you may face while interacting.
