Do you care about children and teens? Listen well? Want to make a positive impact on youth in your community? Consider being a mentor!

Mentors are adults who, along with parents or caregivers, provide a young person with support, counsel, friendship, reinforcement, and constructive example. Mentors are people who care, are good listeners, and want to help young people develop strengths that they already have. Mentors provide emotional support, advice, and guidance. The foundation of mentoring is the idea that if caring, concerned adults are available to young people, youth are more likely to become successful adults themselves.

You don't need any special skills to be a mentor. Things that may seem easy or straightforward to you are often mysterious to young people. That's why it can be easier than you think to make a difference in a young person's life. What To Know

Researchers have found that mentoring does indeed make a difference in the lives of young people. Kids who meet regularly one-on-one with mentors are less likely to hit someone and are able to get along better with their families.

They are also:

• 46 percent less likely to begin using drugs
• 27 percent less likely to begin drinking alcohol
• 52 percent less likely to skip school

Youth participating in mentoring relationships also have better attendance at school, better chances of going on to higher education, and better attitudes toward school, the future, and the elderly. For minority youth who participate in mentoring relationships, the impact is even stronger. Researchers found that minority youth were 70 percent less likely to initiate drug use than other similar minority youth who were not in the mentoring program.

The positive impact of mentorship extends to adult mentors who benefit from working with youth. The rewards of being a positive role model and giving back to the community cannot be measured. One mentor writes, "You don't know in advance how rewarding it is going to be, so you are worried about the responsibility of giving your time consistently. The irony is that once I started doing it, I didn't want to miss a session."

It is important to be realistic about the responsibilities involved in mentoring a young person. Some research suggests that mentoring relationships of short duration may do more harm than good so if you are not sure about mentoring a young person for at least 6 months, consider trying a short-term volunteer opportunity.

Many organizations in your community can help you find mentoring opportunities and will match you with a child or teen who can benefit from everything you have to offer-whether it's help with homework, advice on how to perfect his shot on the basketball court, or just a listening ear.

About the Author

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SAMHSA works to improve the quality and availability of substance abuse prevention, alcohol and drug addiction treatment, and mental health services. Includes links to support groups, information resources, events and articles.