It’s that time of year, Mentor!  As school draws to a close, we encourage you to plan a meaningful closure with your mentee.  Whether it is saying “so-long for the summer,” saying “goodbye” forever, or even if you haven’t met with your mentee this year, the steps remain the same: reiterate your friendship, celebrate your happy memories, leave nothing positive unsaid about your mentee. Your goal is to make sure your mentee knows they are awesome and that you remain friends no matter what!

Planning to continue mentoring in the fall?  Begin setting the groundwork for a “mini” closure with your mentee now.  Share what you have enjoyed about this year, and the growth you have seen in them.  Express your intention to continue the mentoring relationship, if they would like to, next year.  It is important not to “promise” you will be back, as we cannot control the future, but do let them know you “hope” to see them in September.

If circumstances are such that you will not be back to mentor, we encourage you to plan a meaningful closure, letting the mentee know you will not be back in the fall.  Having a positive closure experience is extremely beneficial for children who have had important adults in their lives disappear without warning. Reach out to your Mentor Director for guidance and support through the closure process.

Some mentors have not been able to mentor virtually at all.  If you fall into this category, please send some words of encouragement in a note or letter to your mentee via your Mentor Director, who will quickly pass it on to them.  This gesture serves as another connection point and helps set the groundwork for expectations that you hope to mentor them in the fall.

We can’t control the outside forces that have impacted so much of the last school year, but with some guidance from your Mentor Director, you can create a positive closure experience that helps your mentee build confidence and resilience.