3 Signs You’d be a Good Youth Mentor

If you’d like to impact the future, mentoring youth may for you. Making a difference in a kid’s life will magically enhance yours. Your natural gifts will inspire youth to reach for the stars. It’s the most rewarding work we know of.

Here are 3 signs that you’d be a good Youth Mentor:

1) You’re Caring

You feel deeply for others. You have great listening skills, which is the biggest gift. Do you know how many people actually don’t listen when someone speaks to them? A lot. The patience to listen and absorb what’s going on for someone else is huge. Presence is powerful.

You’re naturally sensitive to how others feel. If someone is sad, you feel upset, too. When they’re joyful, you do cartwheels with them. At the heart of it all, you want the best for other people and believe in their highest potential. Natural born cheerleaders are a special breed.

A young child would benefit tremendously just from being around a caring person. Skills can always be learned, however, you’re either naturally caring, or not. If people have told you that you’d be a good teacher, therapist, or life coach, you’d have a positive influence on teens.

2) Kids Love You

I can’t explain this one. You’ll just know. When you walk into a backyard party, kids make eye contact with you. They’ll hang on your leg, sit on your lap, and never let you mingle with the adults. They feel safe around you and want to play. Kids (and animals) have a keen awareness on who’s trustworthy. It must be their sixth sense.

If your friends’ say, “Wow! My son or daughter never go up to anyone like the way they are with you!” you’ll know you have a gift. I’ve also heard some people say that when they have a bad day and see a child, they feel better. Does this resonate with you?

3) You Want to Make the World a Better Place

You DREAM of leaving an inspiring legacy behind. Deep down, you KNOW you’re meant to serve in a big way and you know you need to be a part of the solution.  You know that youth are our future and you want to support them anyway you can.  You have life experiences and wisdom now that you wish you had as a teen and the thought of passing that on makes you smile.  

In March 2015, Harvard’s Center on the Developing Child study states, “Every child who winds up doing well has had at least one stable and committed relationship with a supportive adult.”

It could be you. Caring, kid-magnet, wanting to make a difference you. If you’re still not sure how you feel about working with youth, take this quiz. At the end, you’ll figure out your Youth Mentor archetype.

Enjoy!

xx,

Amanda and the Shine from Within team