Mentoring still matters during a pandemic
“I am invisible, understand, simply because people refuse to see me,” said Ralph Ellison, an award-winning novelist and literary critic.
Many of our youth truly feel that they are invisible to those who have the resources to help them. And I am certainly not simply talking about people helping them with monetary contributions, but also donating time wisdom and guidance.
As the COVID-19 pandemic rages on across the United States and around the globe, our children are not only at risk physically, but mentally as well. Studies show that the most vulnerable populations are the very old and the very young.
It is easy to focus on the physical impact of this surging virus, but the mental and emotional effect could be just as devastating to many of our youth. Typically, children look to their parents or guardians for cues on how to relate to their world. When parents are highly stressed, their children feel stressed.
The same holds true with fear and anxiety – uncontrolled mental distress from parents trickles down to their children. So how do we combat these dangerous feelings? The village concept of raising children still holds true today because sometimes parents cannot do it alone. A strong village is built around both group and individual mentoring.
Very few people would debate the fact that strong mentors make a difference in the lives of children. Good mentors help children stay focused and provide positive reinforcement and guidance. But most importantly – they help our young people understand that they can achieve anything if they work hard, trust God and believe in themselves.
Even during the era of “social distancing” to stop the spread, we can still mentor through video conferences or even in person meetings with proper separation and masks. Not just for students and youth, virtual mentoring seems to be on the rise for employees in corporate companies and other industries as well. This can actually be beneficial on so many levels, not just for learning and development, but also to foster human connections in this time of uncertainty. I tell my friends all the time, regardless of your schedule, try to find the time to give back through mentoring because it works!
Those who were mentees typically become exceptional mentors when they become adults. Marian Wright Edelman, founder of the Children’s Defense Fund, once said, “I don’t care what my children choose to do professionally, just as long as within their choices they understand they’ve got to give something back.”
By investing in our children today, we are advancing tomorrow’s outstanding leaders and trailblazers. As we continue making life adjustments because of COVID, let’s not forget that mentoring still matters.
Samantha Vance is Executive Director of Ladies Learning to Lead, a nonprofit organization preparing young ladies for college, careers and life.
