Meeting Youth Where They Are

If a home’s foundation is ignored, it will never sit properly. Just so, all learning rests upon prior knowledge and experience. Finding out where your mentee is, where they stand, takes time and patience. Ask questions. Make no assumptions. Be observant. Don’t let your own agenda erode the foundation of your experiences together. It may not always feel highly productive to sit back and begin where your mentee is, but there truly exists no other way. Happily, human nature wants us on a path forward, moving toward positive changes. Wherever you begin, whether learning greetings or doing schoolwork together or planting a seed of confidence through sports, celebrate each step.