“I do my job because of what I needed. I always wanted a mentor and never had one,” says Raylene Swanger, Mentor One80 Coordinator. “I was the kid on drugs walking down the street screaming to God, ‘I just need somebody!’”
All Youth for Christ ministries contain an element of mentorship, but Mentor One80 specifically provides structured mentoring relationships. Through Mentor One80, mentorship is a one-on-one or group relationship between an approved and trained YFC leader, or leaders, and youth involved in the justice system or possibly on a trajectory of being involved in the system in the near future.
Youth with a mentor are statistically more likely to graduate, avoid drugs, hold leadership positions, and volunteer. Walking alongside a young person doesn’t just impact that teenager, it impacts the mentor and the community at large. Mentorship reduces the likelihood that a young person continues being involved in the justice system thus reducing crime rates in communities along with providing support that empowers youth toward positive change.
“Mentorship at YFC is primarily connected to our county’s juvenile court and is a preventative measure, helping to reduce the likelihood that a youth would re-commit a crime. It is important because many of the youth we support are experiencing marginalization, are placed at risk, or have been experiencing a vulnerability of some kind,” says Tim Chavira, Ministry and Mission Advancement Director.
Don’t we all need somebody to come alongside and help and direct? Who do you turn to when a problem seems too big to solve? What if there was no one?
Typically, the youth connected to Mentor One80 want a mentor. Involvement in our program often comes from referrals through the Juvenile Justice system and are part of programs designed to provide alternatives to incarceration. Kids may run into trouble at school or in their communities because there are problems they don’t have the tools to solve. whether those are things like social skills or access to resources. They may struggle with anger, grief, or loneliness.
A mentor is someone who, above all, listens well. Tim says, “Mentorship is all about leaning into the Spirit and prioritizing the wellbeing and needs of a youth in order to build trust and opportunities to provide insight and guidance.”
Raylene agrees. “Mentoring isn’t telling somebody what to do,” she says. “It’s showing them how to navigate their life.”
Cecil Daniels, a mentor with One80 says, “So many critical decisions are made between the ages of 12-25. A mentor, in connection with the overall support system, can be an additional voice of wisdom and support.”
YFC empowers a diverse group of mentors to connect with diverse youth. The team pairs mentors and mentees intentionally, matching interests and needs with strengths and temperaments, and walks with them through the whole relationship providing necessary resources and training along the way.
“That’s the cool thing about God,” Raylene says. “He seems to send the right people for the right people.”
“The best part about being a mentor,” says Cecil, “is being able to plant seeds for God to water in a young person’s heart. Hanging out and connecting is fun too. You really are blessed to be a part of their journey.”
We might picture mentorship as a series of serious conversations, which can be the case, but those conversations happen naturally in other relationship-building activities. Mentors and mentees often grab a coffee or ice cream but are just as likely to go mountain biking, play basketball, paddleboard, catch a baseball game, or whatever else provides the opportunity to connect.
“Mentoring is not easy, but it is life-giving,” says Tim. “We are often combatting negative labeling that has been spoken over young people. It is the opportunity to inform young people of the dignity, value, and worth that God has given them. To celebrate with them the small and large wins they experience. To share a meal with them in a space they may have not gotten to visit before.”
Cecil shares, “Mentor One80 has a fantastic mission and staff. To someone who’s considering it, I would say to pray. Young people need consistency, so make sure you’re ready to commit. Let God use you in the life and family of a young person. Generations change when we submit to God’s plan.“
Mentorship at YFC has grown this year. We’ve kicked off a brand-new program in partnership with the Franklin Pierce School District where students can earn class credit by participating in group mentorship with YFC leaders at Gates High School during the school day. Currently, four groups are meeting each week, two for boys and two for girls. This expands the opportunities for us to be in intentional relationships with more young people in our communities and we’re hoping for the possibility to expand group mentorship into other schools and districts in the future.
If you’d like to see more young people in the kinds of transformational relationships YFC provides, we’d love to have you on the team as a mentor, prayer partner, or giving partner. Click below to get involved.
