Do You Have What It Takes to Be a Mentor?
- Bolder Options
- 3 days ago
- 3 min read
“What does it actually take to be a mentor?”
The honest answer? More than people think.
Mentoring isn’t just hanging out or having fun, though there’s plenty of that. It’s showing up consistently. It’s sticking with a young person even when they’re quiet, distracted, or pushing you away a little. It’s being someone they can count on, week after week.
It takes patience. Flexibility. A sense of humor helps. So does the ability to try again next week when things don’t go as planned. And it takes time. Mentors spend a few hours each week with their mentee for at least one year. You’ll try new things together, get active, talk about goals, and build a relationship that doesn’t happen overnight. But every moment you invest is worth it, because the impact lasts a lifetime.
It’s not easy. But it matters.
Right now, we have young people, especially in Minneapolis, St. Paul, Bloomington, Richfield and the Rochester area who are waiting for a mentor.
They don’t need someone perfect. They need someone who will show up, be real with them, and stick with it.
If you’re reading this, you might already be thinking about someone in your life who would be great at this. Send this their way. Or take the step yourself.
What It Actually Takes
The early stages of mentoring can be tough. Getting past that initial “hump” is where trust starts to build and where the impact starts to show. Here’s what it really takes:
Time: 3–4 hours a week, for one year
Consistency: showing up, even when it’s not convenient
Commitment: sticking with it through the awkward, uncertain early stages
Willingness to grow: it’s not about having all the answers, it’s about building a relationship
Before you’re matched, there’s a process: application, interview, background and driving record checks, references, and orientation. It all happens before you meet your mentee, which means the sooner you apply, the sooner you can be matched!
Not the Right Fit? You Can Still Help
Even if mentoring isn’t the right fit for you, you can still play a huge role in making these matches happen:
Know a coffee shop with a bulletin board? We’ll drop off “Be A Mentor” cards.
Have a workplace, church, or community group that brings people together? Invite us in to talk about mentoring.
Hosting an event with exhibitors? We’d love to show up to recruit mentors.
Have someone in mind already? Send us their name, email, or phone and we’ll take it from there.
Our new Outreach & Volunteer Coordinator, Alexis Rocha, is ready to go. The more connections we can make, the more young people we can match with a caring adult.
April is National Volunteer Month
It’s a great time to say thank you to the people who show up and to ask for more of them. At Bolder Options, mentoring works. We see it every day. But it takes consistency, patience, and the ability to stick with a young person even when they test you, ignore you, or push you away.
We’ve got virtual info sessions coming up, plus an in-person event later this month to thank current and former volunteers and welcome new people in.
So, do you have what it takes? Or do you know someone who does?
