1-to-1 Mentoring Blog

Eric's Blog Post for the week of March 15-19

As mentioned in our last post, we are featuring the work of guest blogger, Eric Hawley, from Concordia University.

Here's his post from last week:


I would like to say that being able to witness the mentors’ and mentees’ interaction with each other is beautiful. I get the rare opportunity to see the connections between kids and adults grow. The stories that I hear of YEARS of commitment from some of these mentors is astounding. These kid’s lives are truly being changed.

I have to apologize to everyone for not updating you on last week’s mentoring session. I was in Texas on my spring break. To dispel any rumors about Texas, people do not go everywhere on horse back; they own cars. Now I’m back, and I’ve got great news to report about an upcoming mentoring event.

This past Monday was different than any other because Dan was interviewing mentors and mentees for a VIDEO he’s putting together. On Tuesday March 30th, the mentoring program will be hosting a Mentor & Mentee Appreciation Dinner here at Circle Urban for all the mentors and their matches. During the dinner, Dan is going to show this video showing what all the mentors and mentees had to say. What a great way to further encourage people in the understanding that they are not alone.

Being a mentor can be difficult and enjoyable all at the same time. Knowing that there are other mentors going through the same experience as you is comforting. One can be easily discouraged because a conversation isn’t going the way they had planned. But when mentors talk to one another about these frustrations, they then have the opportunity to build one another up. Knowing you are not alone is encouraging.

When watching the video clips, I’m sure we could submit the whole thing to Bill Cosby’s “Kids Say the Darndest Things.” In those humorous moments is where the beauty of these relationships lies. The kids are being vulnerable by sharing their stories with the camera about their mentors. These kids are truly being impacted by their mentors because adults are sharing their lives with kids, and ultimately telling them “you are not alone.”

Everyone was asked the same questions, and I bet there will be similar answers. Not because anybody had a script telling them the “right” answers, but because many people are being effected in the same way, mentors and mentees alike. These adults give an hour of their week (sometimes more) to show their mentee he/she is valuable. Some of these mentors know one another; some do not, but all the mentors have a common thread running between them: love for their mentee.

The video will be showing at the dinner on the 30th, and who knows, maybe Mr. Cosby will be free that night.