When we go out to recruit mentors, whether it be at a community event, a school, or a business meeting, our staff fields great questions from potential mentors. In order to spread the word about the Project Leadership mentoring program, we are gathering the questions frequently asked by members of the community, and then answering them here on our website during the week!

“What type of person are you looking for? What makes a good mentor?”

At Project Leadership, we get this question a lot. The answer might surprise you.

Successful mentors in our program like spending time with youth. They enjoy having a mutual relationship with a teenager who is trying to balance home life, friends, and school. They know how to listen, keep an open-mind, and be a good role model. They know when to ask questions and how to be assertive. They know how to be supportive and lead by example. Successful mentors come from different backgrounds, and they all have a unique story they are willing to share. But even more important, successful mentors are NOT perfect. They do not need to have a history of post-secondary education, or be an expert on Indiana’s 21st Century Scholarship program.

We work with the mentors and mentees in our program to ensure that our matches are well-equipped with resources to assist them towards graduation and/or degree completion.