F requently A sked Q uestions
What if…
…we don't hit it off right away?
It's not easy to trust a stranger, especially if you're a young person who's had a lot of bad experiences with adults in the past. It may take a while to build up trust. Don't interpret caution as rejection.
…something serious comes up?
While most mentoring relationships develop and flourish without serious problems, things do happen. Your case manager should be informed & will help you navigate the situation and identify your resources.
…we don't have anything in common?
Actually, most experienced mentors report that mentoring a young person from a different background broadened their own horizons and deepened their understanding of other people and cultures. Also, we do try to make sure mentors and mentees have some interests or hobbies in common.
• How Much Time Does a Mentoring Relationship Require?
Every mentoring relationship takes a different amount of time. You are however, required to meet a minimum of eight hours / two times a month. We recommend that you start out meeting once a week. The amount of time required in your mentoring relationship depends on your situation and your mentees' needs. Whatever you can both agree on is fine. Remember that mentoring does take time. Occasionally it will be inconvenient and somewhat out of your comfort zones, but it will be well worth the effort.
• How Do I End a Mentoring Relationship?
Y Mentors has a policy that each match has closure. Your case managers are available to walk you through a plan of closure, which may include: and it is required to have closure to end the match.
Closure-Stage Four Of Mentoring Relationship: Mentor Manual
• What if the Mentee no longer wants a Mentor?
As mentees grow older and reach the teen years, their lives become busier with friends and activities. At that point, the mentee may now longer want to maintain a formal mentoring relationship. Ideally, the relationship changes from mentor – mentee to friends and the mentor is honored to see the mentee succeed much as fathers and mothers are honored by the success of their children to adulthood.