What to do when problems arise
Understanding youth-related problems and issues is extremely important for any individual about to undertake the task of being a mentor.
Peer Pressure
One of the greatest forces on adolescents is the power and influence of their peers. This outside influence about personal attitudes and outward behaviors can be either positive or negative and should be recognized by the mentor. Mentors cannot force their beliefs upon the mentee, but they should be able to assist the mentee in learning decision-making skills so that they are able to make their own choices about these external forces and influences.
Substance Abuse
The curiosity to experiment with alcohol, tobacco, and drugs is a constant threat to each adolescent in today's world. Each mentee will need to make his or her own choice about participation. The mentor should set an excellent example by avoiding the use of alcohol and tobacco in the presence of the mentee. Mentors should encourage discussions about the issues of abuse and be very observant of mentee behaviors. If evidence exists that the mentee may have a problem with substance abuse, professional treatment intervention should be requested.
Sexuality and Teenage Parenting
Many young people may turn to sexual relationships for a variety of reasons. This is a sensitive issue, and great care must be given to any discussions related to sexuality occurring within the mentoring relationship. Usually professional assistance is helpful to the mentor involving this issue.
Child Abuse and Family Violence
Physical or mental abuse, within the family or in any environment, will have both an immediate effect on the mentee and also create long-lasting, negative attitudes and behaviors. A mentor will need to seek professional help if observations indicate that this type of abuse may be occurring.
School Safety and Violence
Many young people are exposed to bullies or other violent behaviors in the school setting, which may result in attendance problems or lower academic achievement levels. An observant mentor should discuss this with the mentee and inform the school officials about the situation being careful not to involve the mentee in the process.
Depression and Suicide
When young people are overwhelmed with issues and situations they cannot resolve, serious depression may develop. When mentors are sensitive and see any indications of extreme depression or suicide, it must be referred to the professionals involved in the program.
Nutrition and Health Care
Many young people feel they are immortal and tend to ignore good health practices. In addition to modeling a healthy lifestyle, mentors can provide excellent discussions in this area and initiate visits to health-related institutions, or engage in special activities related to good health.
Faith and Religion
This issue is usually within the domain of the family, and mentors should be sensitive to family values and practices. However, this may be an area of great concern for the mentee or there may be a mutual interest by the pair, which could foster positive discussions to benefit the mentee.
Social and Time Management
Social activities and time management are critical issues for young people. For example, how to manage leisure time, schoolwork, extracurricular activities, family chores, and other social demands, may be very difficult. Mentors should be able to assist greatly in this area with helpful discussions about time-management techniques and related decision-making skills.
Career Exploration and Part-Time Work
Career exploration is usually a natural and easy issue to address with young people because most mentors are in the workforce. Therefore, discussions about employment opportunities, specific job skill requirements, or visitations to work sites are quite common in mentoring relationships. Discussions about these and school-to-work issues may be a good starting point that leads naturally into many mentor-mentee activities.
