Teens 13 and up, college students and young adults in Indiana can get one-on-one mentoring and coaching from Blackburn Mentoring by video, with in-person sessions in Los Angeles, where the work began in 2014. Everything starts with a free 20 minute intro call, and families are matched with a mentor within 2 business days.

Best for:

A student who needs help planning the week, starting work and keeping track of deadlines
A college student who wants one steady person checking in every week
A young adult who is drifting and wants a clear plan for work or school
Parents who want to step back from managing every detail

Anyone in Indiana, from a high school student in Fort Wayne to a young professional in Indianapolis, can work with a dedicated Blackburn mentor by video. Most of Indiana is on Eastern time, but the northwest corner near Chicago and the southwest corner around Evansville are on Central time. We schedule sessions in whichever zone you live in.

Why video works across Indiana

Indiana is not huge, but it is spread out in a particular way: one large metro in the middle, a handful of mid-sized cities, and a great deal of farmland and small towns in between. Many communities are an hour or more from Indianapolis. A weekly mentor who meets online fits around school, sports, work and long drives, and the text and phone check-ins between sessions keep momentum going without anyone getting in a car.

A quick tour of the state

Central Indiana centers on Indianapolis and fast-growing suburbs such as Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville and Zionsville. Northeast Indiana has Fort Wayne. North central Indiana includes South Bend, Mishawaka and Elkhart. Northwest Indiana, around Gary, Hammond and Valparaiso, is effectively part of the Chicago region. In the south, Evansville anchors the southwest, and towns along the Ohio River look toward Louisville and Cincinnati. College towns such as Bloomington, West Lafayette and Muncie add their own character.

Making things, moving things

Indiana is one of the most manufacturing-heavy states in the country. It builds cars, engines, steel and a large share of the nation’s recreational vehicles around Elkhart. Its motto, the Crossroads of America, fits a strong logistics and warehousing sector. Indianapolis adds pharmaceuticals and life sciences, health care, insurance, amateur and professional sports and motorsports. Agriculture, especially corn, soybeans and livestock, is everywhere outside the cities.

That means good jobs exist for people with skills and without a four-year degree, alongside professional careers in the cities. Young adults often need help choosing among them and sticking to a plan.

Schools and the road after high school

Indiana students attend local public districts, a substantial number of charter schools, and a range of private and parochial schools; the state also has a well-known voucher program that many families use. After graduation, students can go to one of several large public universities, regional campuses, a statewide community college system or a private college. Plenty stay in state, and Indiana campuses also draw many students from neighboring states and beyond. Others leave for Chicago, Ohio or further.

Signs a mentor could help

A high school student who is capable but disorganized, with grades that do not reflect effort.
A senior who has no clear plan and resists every conversation about it.
A college freshman at a big campus who is skipping class or not telling you how it is going.
A graduate living at home who wants to move out but has no timeline.
A young professional who feels stuck after the first couple of years in a job.

Each of those starts with a short assessment and a free intro call. Mentors are not tutors, therapists or admissions counselors; they help people plan and follow through.

Pages for areas in Indiana

Our area page is online mentoring in Indianapolis. Nearby metro pages that cover parts of Indiana or its neighbors include Chicago for northwest Indiana, Louisville for southern Indiana and Cincinnati for the southeast corner. Browse all states on mentoring by state.

Where to go next

Parents of teens can start with mentoring for high school students or mentoring for families. College students should see mentoring for college students, and people in their twenties young adult mentoring. Our online mentoring page explains how video sessions run.

Growing up and starting out in Indiana

Teen life in much of Indiana runs on a sports and community calendar: winter gyms packed for high school basketball, summer weeks built around county fairs and 4-H projects, and plenty of part-time work at restaurants, farms and stores. In the fast-growing Hamilton County suburbs, academics and activities can feel intensely competitive, while in smaller towns the question is often simply what comes after graduation and whether it means leaving.

After high school, Hoosier families weigh a lot of workable paths: in-state public universities, regional campuses, the community college system, paid apprenticeships and plant jobs that pay well from the start. Indiana also runs a long-standing early-commitment college program for income-eligible students, the 21st Century Scholars program, which asks middle schoolers to sign up and keep a pledge through high school. Program rules change, so check the official state site before counting on it. Cost of living is moderate by national standards, which lets many young adults move out sooner, though rent in the Indianapolis suburbs keeps climbing.

Situations families and young adults in Indiana often navigate

A teen in northwest Indiana deciding whether to commute into Chicago for school or work, or build a life closer to home in the Region.
A senior who signed up for a state college pledge years ago and now needs to keep up with its requirements.
A young adult on rotating shifts at a plant who wants to take classes but cannot find a steady weekly slot.
A college student at a big in-state campus an hour or two away who comes home most weekends and never settles in.
A graduate choosing between a first job in Indianapolis and a bigger city such as Chicago or Columbus.

Most of Indiana is on Eastern time, with pockets near Chicago and Evansville on Central time, and we book every video session in your own zone; in-person meetings happen only in Los Angeles. Our guide to state merit scholarships and tips for a long-hours job routine fit common Indiana questions, and Indianapolis, Chicago and Louisville cover nearby metros. See education by state for more.

Mentoring is not therapy or clinical care. If someone needs mental health treatment, a licensed clinician is the right place to start, and a mentor can work alongside them.

Common questions

Is Indiana on Eastern or Central time for sessions?

Both, depending on where you live. Most of the state is Eastern, while the counties near Chicago and around Evansville are Central. We book in your local time either way.

Can you help a student who is going to a big state university?

Yes. A mentor meets the student by video to build routines and manage deadlines, and shares progress with parents if the student agrees. We are not affiliated with any school.

Does a mentor help with trade and job paths, not just college?

Yes. Mentors help young people explore careers, apprenticeships and work, then build a weekly plan to pursue the one they choose.

Get started

Want to talk about a student or young adult in Indiana? 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.

Last updated November 2, 2026.

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Online Mentoring and Coaching in Indiana