4 Troubled Teens Blog

Monday, July 19, 2010

Few Teens Have Adult Mentors Outside Immediate Family

Only 20 percent of teenagers have meaningful relationships with coaches, mentors or adults other than their parents, according to a survey from the Search Institute.

Researchers surveyed 1,860 people ages 15 years old from area of Twin Cities, Minnesota. Although 50% could identify one or more adult who "understands me," most of their relationships with these adults were not meaningful.

"Caring adults beyond the immediate family really do matter for a variety of outcomes that Americans care about, including school success," said Peter Benson, president and chief executive officer of the Search Institute, a policy center for child and family development. He said that teenagers show more academic achievement and hope for their futures when they have positive adult role models in their lives.
 

Labels: mentoring, influences

Posted By: Jane St. Clair

Comments:

cwave on 7/28/2010
Very good article. Adult mentors can have a positive influence on teens in cases where parents simply can't. I think it's best when the mentor reinforces principles and actions taught by the teens parents. For troubled teens mentors can be even more important. A friends son attended a school called West Ridge Academy (http://www.troubledteensut.com/) and the mentors he had there changed his life. I thought he would never attend college, but he did and his mother said it had a lot to do with the mentors he had a the boarding school. Young people are our future and as adults we should all do our best to be a positive influence.
former_teacher on 7/21/2010
So many adults have so many opportunities to be a positive influence in a teen's life. Bosses of teen employees, teachers, coaches, community group leaders, aunts & uncles -- the list goes on and on and on. Adults -- don't let these great opportunities pass you by. Setting a positive examples and offering encouraging words won't you a thing -- but these actions can literally be life-altering to a teen who needs your help.