Our Professional Mentors Share Their Experience

Every week, our professional mentors spend hours of intentional one-on-one time with the children enrolled here at Friends of the Children – Twin Cities. We are grateful for their dedication every day, but in honor of National Mentoring Day (October 27) we wanted to give them the opportunity to share some of their own experiences and what they want people to know about their work as Friends.

One of our professional mentors shared that he remembers peers in middle school talking about their mentors and the fun things they would do together. He is glad to now be a professional mentor living out his belief that mentoring is for everyone! “Everyone has something to learn and something to teach,” he says. Another Friend shared that she was inspired by her grandmother’s work with young children and the family-oriented relationships that she built with them.

Several noted the amazing feeling that they get when the youth they support have the opportunity to engage with something new and that their excitement is contagious! One Friend pointed out the joy of watching youth set short and longer-term goals and then working hard together towards accomplishing them. Another was grateful that one of his mentees felt comfortable reaching out to him for advice in a really tough situation that the Friend was able to help him work through. And another noted that caregivers truly enjoy hearing from their youth what they have learned and experienced with their Friend!

Please join us in saying a big THANK YOU to our professional mentors for their dedication and commitment to our mission, our community, and our youth! Ben, Muriel, Pedro, and Te’Ashia, your work is making a real difference. Thank you for sharing your experiences.