Families in Bozeman, Belgrade, Big Sky and the Gallatin Valley can work with a Blackburn mentor by video. Each person has one dedicated mentor, meets weekly or more often in Mountain time, and stays in touch by text and phone between sessions. Our team is in Los Angeles, and Montana clients work with us online.
A mountain town that grew up fast
Bozeman has gone from a quiet ranching town to one of the fastest-growing small cities in the Mountain West. Remote workers, tech companies and outdoor businesses have moved in, drawn by Bridger Bowl, Big Sky, the rivers and the short drive to Yellowstone. Housing costs have climbed sharply, and long-time residents and newcomers sometimes see the town very differently.
Teens here may be fourth-generation Montanans or may have arrived last year from a big city. Both groups are adjusting to a place that keeps changing.
New to the valley
For a teenager who moved from Seattle, Denver or the coasts, Bozeman can feel small, cold and far away at first. A mentor helps them settle in with practical steps: a couple of activities to try, a weekly routine, and goals that make the new place feel like theirs. See a teen who has no friends.
Outdoor life and school life
Powder days, fishing season and long summer evenings are part of the appeal. They can also crowd out schoolwork and sleep. Mentors help students keep both: a plan that protects study time and still leaves room for the mountains.
Young adults and the cost of staying
Young people who grew up in the Gallatin Valley, or came for college and want to stay, face high rents and a job market where many of the best-paying roles are remote or specialized. A mentor helps them get specific:
- Which careers can support a life in Bozeman, and which skills they need.
- Whether remote work is realistic, and how to build a routine for it. See building a remote work routine.
- A budget and savings plan that matches local costs.
- When it makes sense to leave for a few years and come back.
Distance and the case for video
Montana is big and winters are long. Video sessions mean a student in Big Sky or Belgrade has the same access as one in town, and snow never cancels a meeting. Montana is one hour ahead of Los Angeles, so after-school and evening sessions are easy to set.
Sessions run 30 or 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, on a weekly or monthly plan, with short text and phone check-ins between them. A student who heads off to college out of state, or a young adult who takes a seasonal job somewhere else, keeps the same mentor and the same weekly time.
Where a mentor helps
A mentor is an outside adult who meets weekly, follows up between sessions and keeps the plan practical. They do not tutor, provide therapy or advise on admissions. For high school students, a parent joins the intro call and receives regular updates: see mentoring for high school students. Young adults deciding whether to stay or go often start with young adult mentoring. Read about video sessions on our online mentoring page.
Related
- Online mentoring in Boise
- Online mentoring in Salt Lake City
- Mentoring in Montana
- How mentoring works
Common questions
Can you work with families in Big Sky or Belgrade?
Yes. We work with clients anywhere in the Gallatin Valley, and across the United States, by video.
What time zone are sessions in?
Mountain time. Montana is one hour ahead of Los Angeles, so after-school and evening slots line up well.
Is there an in-person option in Montana?
No. In-person meetings happen in Los Angeles only. Bozeman clients meet by video, with text and phone contact between sessions.
Get started
Thinking about a mentor for someone in the Gallatin Valley? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.