Using Their Voice: How Foster Youth Describe Mentoring Relationships

Although numerous studies have been conducted on foster care and the negative issues well documented, youth in foster care have a voice when people are willing to listen.  Even though many youth in foster care or those aging out of the system do not have mentors, some youth do.  The mentors are friends, family or staff members and have left lasting impressions. 

But how does youth describe their mentors and their relationships?  A study conducted that netted 194 youth responding, indicated that they had a non-kin mentor.  Their responses were uploaded to a software program and analyzed. The adult mentors were defined as being older and willing to listen to them.  Sample questions included how they met, how they were referred, what made them easy to relate to/listen to, and they were also asked to give example of advice received that they used.

Results indicated that youth described their mentoring relationships in positive ways.  Their mentors were described as “approachable and easy to be with”   (Munson, et.al., 2010) because of descriptions indicated on their responses with words such as “down to earth,” “funny,” and “humble.”   The mentors were also described as “understanding,” which made them easier to relate to and distinguishable from other adults in their lives. For some, the relationships were also similar in personality, interests, life experiences or backgrounds.  One youth said that she acted like her mentor when she was her age and another described herself as having a quick temper as her mentor did when she was growing up.  Youth in the study valued the consistency and longevity that the mentoring relationships offered; being able to trust their mentor and having their mentor listen to them.

With the positive expressions shared by these youth interviewed in the study, it is obvious that they have a voice and see mentoring as a positive aspect in their lives.  In comparison to youth in foster care, mentors are minute and there is a definite need for more recruitment of quality mentors to foster positive relationships so that youth will continue to communicate a positive relationship.