Mentoring can assist youth with developing coping mechanisms and tools to help deal with life challenges.

The benefits are both immediate and long term with both the mentor and mentee greatly benefiting.

Some of the potential benefits include:

• Greater health benefits with improved lifestyle choices
• Improved attitude and more engaged
• Healthier relationships
• Improved behaviour at home and school
• Improved attendance at school, placed a higher value on school
• Increased performance at school
• Healthier lifestyle choices
• Enhanced self-esteem and self-confidence
• Improved inter-personal skills
• Reduced school dropout rates
• Improved higher school and college enrolment rates
• Increased higher school aspirations
• Decreased likelihood of initiating drug and alcohol use ((MENTOR, 2009; Cavell, DuBois, Karcher, Keller, & Rhodes, 2009)
• Decreased likelihood of violent behaviour

Studies also show that youth who meet regularly with their mentors are:

• 6% less likely than their peers to start using illegal drugs and 27% less likely to start drinking
• 130% more likely to hold leadership positions
• 81% more likely to participate regularly in sports or extracurricular activities than those who do not.

Whilst the benefits of mentoring are vast, one on one mentoring provides the youth with a greater sense of safety. The one on one attention provides additional care and support specific to the youth needs. Close, healthy, supportive mentor and mentee relationships that last for a significant period of time, ie more than one year, have shown the greatest success.
Studies also show that the strongest benefit from mentoring was a reduction in depressive symptoms. It has been reported that youth grow intellectually, interpersonally and emotionally from supportive mentors. Most youth became better planners, organisers and problem solvers, growing both in self-confidence and self-awareness.

It is important to find an authentic mentor for your child. Arakan Martial Art® is passionate about helping youth today to develop self-confidence, empowerment, focus and self-awareness. Arakan teaches students to adapt to many situations and environments, becoming dynamic, adaptable and capable of ensuring safety and wellbeing of themselves and others. Attributes which will transition into greater areas of their life as they develop into adulthood. Our goal is to empower children and ensure they are equipped with skills and techniques to ensure their safety and well-being.

Please contact us now to find out how we can assist with positively mentoring your child today.

Sources:
mentoring.org
youth.gov
psychologytoday.com
understood.org