It’s often said that children are our future, but for many youths who already at a disadvantage, navigating their way to a bright and fulfilling future is difficult.

Enter the mentor. A mentor is a positive role model who takes on an active part in a child’s life, providing guidance and support. Mentors can play a crucial role in a child’s development and future success.

If you’re wondering why exactly youth need positive mentors, we’ve got a quick guide that breaks down the statistics for you.

Positive Mentors Improve School Performance

Studies have shown that approximately fifty-nine percent of children who have a positive mentor earn better grades in school.

Over half of the youth studied who have a mentor also skip less school, as well. Children in a positive mentorship also tend to go to college in higher numbers and have a higher success rate.

These school improvements are due to the encouragement and support that an adult mentor can give to a child. They also can be hands-on, tutoring them in subjects where the child struggles.

Mentors Help with Personal Development

Youth who have a positive mentor in their life have also been shown to have improved self-confidence. This is because a good mentor can make them believe in themselves and push them to go further.

Mentors can also help children learn more about themselves and grow as a person. They can help them develop a strong value system and a good sense of ethics, which guides positive behavior.

Furthermore, just having someone to talk to openly about their troubles and triumphs can go a long way towards helping youth feel more comfortable in their own skin.

Mentors Provide Guidance

Youth are at a difficult time in their lives when they are relying less on their parents and more on their peers for guidance about things they go through in life.

A positive mentor will be able to guide youth through their tumultuous years of development, giving them a grounded point of view and helping them with good decision-making.

Youth with a positive mentor are shown to use drugs and alcohol at a lower rate than their peers, experience lower teen pregnancy rates, and less delinquent behaviors.

Positive mentorship also helps youth improve their interpersonal relationships with friends and family. Youth with mentors also contribute more positively to society in ways such as volunteering and being mentors themselves.

Having a positive role model to look up to can help youth make more informed decisions about their life goals and dreams, especially if that mentor shares similar interests.

In fact, going forward the mentor can also provide guidance on career-oriented decisions and can even help him form better relationships with his fellow employees or employers.

The good thing, moreover, is that finding a mentor who shares parallel interests as us is convenient these days, thanks to the mentor matching engine and similar search forums. Anyone, who wants the guidance of a mentor in their life, can find their best fit through one such search website.

Finding A Mentor

Many youths have positive mentors in their parents or other close family members. However, for many youths who are at a disadvantage, they may turn to a teacher, coach, religious leader, or even a professional mentoring organization. As a parent, you could be a really strong mentor for your kid, but you might not be able to devote all your time to them between work and other responsibilities. That’s why you might want to consult a School Guide to find a good place for your kids, where they could find positive role models.

Most of us have good experiences with having mentors in our life, and we could do the same for some other kids. Regardless of what the mentor does for a living, being a positive role model can go a long way toward helping youth find their way in life.

For more tips and advice on mental health issues, make sure to check out our other blog articles, and contact us at any time if you are seeking counseling services.