Think about the people who helped shape who you are today.

Maybe it was a teacher who saw something in you that you didn’t yet see in yourself. A coach who encouraged you to keep going. A supervisor who gave you an opportunity. Or maybe it was simply an adult who listened, encouraged you, and consistently showed up.

Most of us can name at least one person.

Those relationships may have felt ordinary at the time, but research continues to show just how powerful they can be. In fact, a new national report from Big Brothers Big Sisters of America makes the case that mentoring is part of the foundation strong communities need to thrive.

When we think about infrastructure, we usually think about roads, schools, technology, or other systems that keep communities moving. But strong communities also depend on something less visible: relationships.

And right now, one in three young people in America is growing up without access to a mentor.

 

Young People Already Have the Potential

Mentoring isn’t about “fixing” young people. It’s not about having all the answers or telling a young person who they should become.

Young people already bring strengths, talents, ideas, interests, and dreams to the table. A mentor doesn’t create that potential. A mentor can help a young person recognize it, build upon it, and discover where it might lead.

That might mean introducing them to a career they’ve never considered, encouraging an interest, celebrating an accomplishment, helping them think through a challenge, or simply being another trusted adult in their corner.

Sometimes the impact comes from the simplest thing: showing up consistently.

 

The Impact Can Last for Years

We know those relationships can make a difference in the moment. Increasingly, research is showing us that their impact can continue well into adulthood.

Long-term research on Big Brothers Big Sisters found that young people offered access to mentoring were 20% more likely to enroll in college or trade school and are estimated to earn 15% more over their lifetime. The research also shows that the impact of mentoring can extend well into adulthood.

The numbers matter. But what I find most powerful is what sits behind all of them: a relationship between two people.

 

You Don’t Have to Be Perfect

Sometimes I think the word “mentor” makes the role sound more complicated than it really is.

Adults wonder: What would I talk about? What if I don’t know what advice to give? What if my own life isn’t perfect?

Here’s what I wish more people understood:

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be present.

Mentoring happens in ordinary moments. It’s listening to a young person talk about their day. Asking about something they’re interested in. Trying something new together. Celebrating a success. Helping them think through a decision. Or simply showing up when you said you would.

Mentors don’t need to have all the answers.

Sometimes the most meaningful thing an adult can communicate to a young person is simply: I’m here. I believe in you. Let’s figure this out together.

Over time, those ordinary moments build trust. And those relationships can open doors to new experiences, ideas, people, and possibilities.

 

Why This Matters to Business

This is where I think the conversation about mentoring needs to expand.

Youth mentoring may not immediately sound like a business issue, but it absolutely is.

Today’s young people are our future employees, entrepreneurs, business owners, community leaders, and neighbors. They already have tremendous potential. Our opportunity is to make sure they have the relationships and experiences that help that potential flourish.

And businesses have an incredible resource to contribute: people.

Think about the collective experience represented in your workplace. Careers built. Mistakes made. Lessons learned. Challenges overcome. Networks developed. Opportunities discovered.

That experience has value beyond the walls of your organization.

Businesses can help build a culture of mentoring by encouraging employees to volunteer, allowing flexibility for mentoring commitments, supporting partnerships with schools and community organizations, and recognizing mentoring as meaningful community engagement.

The national BBBS report calls for businesses, philanthropy, and community partners to play a larger role in making mentoring available to more young people. That creates an important opportunity for the business community.

We spend a lot of time talking about building the workforce of tomorrow. Mentoring gives us an opportunity to invest in the people who will make up that workforce.

 

Building the Infrastructure That Matters Most

Preparing the next generation can sometimes feel complicated. Mentoring reminds us that one of the most powerful investments we can make is remarkably simple:

Relationships matter.

Young people already have tremendous potential. Sometimes what helps that potential grow is another person who notices it, encourages it, and keeps showing up.

So, if you’ve ever wondered whether you have what it takes to mentor a young person, remember:

You don’t need a perfect life story. You don’t need special expertise. And you definitely don’t need all the answers.

You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be present.

 

About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan

Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan has been empowering local youth through meaningful, professionally supported mentoring relationships since 1958. Serving children ages 6 to 18 across Kalamazoo, Allegan, Calhoun, and Van Buren counties, the organization thoughtfully matches volunteer mentors, known as Bigs, with young people, known as Littles, to build positive, lasting relationships. Through one-to-one mentorship and the support of volunteers, donors, families, and community partners, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Southwest Michigan works to ignite the power and promise of youth and help every child reach their full potential.