A teen mentor in Los Angeles is a trusted adult outside the family who meets your teenager every week, helps them set goals and follow through, and keeps you informed. At Blackburn Mentoring each teen is matched with one dedicated mentor within 2 business days of the intro call, and sessions happen in person in Los Angeles or by video, with check-ins in between. The first step is a free 20 minute intro call for parents.
Why parents look for a mentor for their teenager
Most parents call when something has stalled and their own advice no longer lands. The situations sound like these:
- Grades are slipping, but your teen insists everything is fine; see how to talk to your teen about grades.
- Your teen is capable but unmotivated, and every reminder turns into an argument.
- Confidence has dropped after a hard year, a move, a cut from a team or a friendship ending.
- Your teen is overscheduled across sports, school and activities and is starting to burn out; see an overscheduled teen.
- Senior year and the step after high school are coming, and your teen has no plan of their own.
- You want another steady adult in your teen’s life, someone they actually listen to.
Our guide does my teenager need a mentor? walks through the signs in more detail, and there are separate guides for a mentor for a teenage son and a mentor for a teenage daughter.
What a mentor does with your teen
- Builds trust first. The first sessions are about getting to know your teen and what they care about, not a lecture.
- Sets goals your teen owns. School, sports, a first job, a driver’s license, a project or a habit. Goals are agreed with your teen and shared with you.
- Turns goals into weekly steps. Each session ends with a short plan for the week ahead.
- Checks in between sessions. A text or call on the days that usually slip.
- Keeps you in the loop. Regular progress updates on attendance, the plan and how things are moving, while respecting your teen’s trust.
- Works with the team around your teen. With your permission, the mentor can coordinate with the school counselor, a tutor or a therapist.
Mentoring for teens in Los Angeles: what is different here
Growing up in Los Angeles means a lot of time in cars and a life spread across neighborhoods. School may be in one part of the county, practice in another and friends somewhere else, which can leave a teenager with little independence until they drive. A mentor can help a teen take real ownership of that schedule: planning around drive times, arranging their own rides, and using the hours in between instead of losing them.
LA teens also live close to industries that look glamorous from the outside, and many feel pressure to have it all figured out early. A mentor gives them a calm place to explore interests, try a first job or internship and build habits that will matter whatever path they choose. For the step after high school, see mentoring after high school and gap year mentoring.
In person in LA, by video when it is easier
Mentors meet teens in person in Los Angeles at a convenient, appropriate place worked out with parents on the intro call, such as a library, a park or a cafe, and switch to video on weeks when traffic, games or exams make meeting impractical. Mentors offer early morning, evening and weekend sessions, so mentoring fits around school and sports rather than competing with them.
To see how much time your teen actually has on a busy weekday, try our free after-school time planner.
Professional mentoring and volunteer programs
Los Angeles also has volunteer mentoring nonprofits that do valuable work. Blackburn is a professional service that families hire: a matched mentor within 2 business days of the intro call, sessions weekly or several times a week, contact between sessions and regular updates for parents. Neither is right for everyone. Our guide on how to choose a mentoring program sets out the questions to ask any option.
What mentoring is not
A mentor is not a therapist, tutor, test prep instructor or admissions consultant, and mentoring is not a treatment program. If your teen is struggling with anxiety, depression or another mental health concern, a licensed professional should come first, and a mentor can work alongside that care with your permission. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Our list of free education resources for Los Angeles students and families covers free homework help, test prep and youth jobs for LA teens.
Related
- Mentoring for high school students
- Confidence coaching for teens
- Motivation coaching for teens
- Academic coaching in Los Angeles
- Executive function coaching in Los Angeles
- Mentoring and coaching in Los Angeles
Common questions
How do I find a mentor for my teenager in Los Angeles?
Start with a free 20 minute intro call. We talk through your teen, your goals and scheduling, and match your teen with one dedicated mentor within 2 business days of the call.
Will my teen actually talk to a mentor?
Many teens find it easier to talk with a steady adult who is not their parent. Mentors start by building trust and setting goals your teen owns, which is why the first few sessions focus on getting to know them.
Do parents hear what happens in sessions?
Parents receive regular progress updates on attendance, the weekly plan and how things are moving. Mentors also respect the trust your teen places in them, and how updates work is agreed with you on the intro call.
Can the mentor meet my teen in person?
Yes. Mentors meet teens in person in Los Angeles at a convenient, appropriate place agreed with parents, and use video on weeks when that is easier.
What ages do you work with?
Blackburn works with high school students, college students and young adults. For high school students, a parent or guardian is always involved.
How much does a teen mentor cost?
We do not publish prices. Cost is reviewed on the free intro call.
Get started
Want to talk about whether a mentor is right for your teenager? 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 20 minute intro call.
Booking for a son or daughter? You can book the call yourself. Free, by video, 20 minutes, with a member of our team. Weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific.