Blackburn Mentoring, mentoring since 2014, works one-on-one with teens 13 and up, college students and young adults by video across Maine, with in-person mentoring and coaching in Los Angeles. The first step is a free 20 minute intro call; after that, you are matched with a mentor within 2 business days.

Best for:

A teen whose days drift into screens, with little they are building
A college student who keeps missing deadlines despite knowing the material
A young adult working toward a first job, a move out or a return to school
Families who want a mentor who meets by video, with parent updates when needed

Families, students and young adults anywhere in Maine can work with a dedicated Blackburn mentor by video. Maine is on Eastern time, three hours ahead of our Los Angeles team, so an after-school session at 3:30 in Bangor is early afternoon for the mentor. Every session is scheduled in your local time.

The most rural state in New England

Maine is almost as large as the rest of New England combined, mostly forest, with a long, jagged coast and a population concentrated in the south. Outside Greater Portland, towns are small and spread out, and the drive from York County to Aroostook County takes most of a day. In winter, snow and ice make any weekly appointment harder to keep. Video removes the drive, and the text and phone check-ins between sessions keep things moving during a long February.

Maine, region by region

Southern Maine: Portland, South Portland, Scarborough, Falmouth, Cape Elizabeth and the York County coast.
Lewiston-Auburn and the central lakes: the state’s second urban area and the towns around it.
Augusta and the Kennebec Valley: the capital and surrounding communities.
Midcoast and Downeast: Brunswick, Bath, Camden and the coast toward Bar Harbor and Machias.
Bangor and the north: Bangor, the western mountains and Aroostook County, which locals call The County.

Maine’s economy

Health care is the largest employer in much of the state. Tourism fills the coast and lakes in summer and the mountains in winter. Lobstering and fishing remain central to many coastal towns, and forest products, from paper to lumber, still matter inland. Bath is known for building ships for the Navy, Aroostook County grows potatoes, and Portland has a growing mix of professional services, food businesses and remote workers who moved for the quality of life.

Maine also has one of the oldest populations in the country. Many young people feel pulled toward Boston or further for opportunity, and some return later. Seasonal work patterns can make it hard for a young adult to find steady footing.

Schools and education in general terms

Maine public education runs through many small town districts and regional school units that share schools across several towns. In some places, towns without their own high school send students to private academies with public tuition, a long-standing arrangement in parts of the state. Maine also has a number of independent day and boarding schools that enroll students from in state and around the world.

After high school, students can choose campuses of the state public university system, a community college system with locations across Maine, or private colleges. A good share of Maine students leave for other New England states or further, and Maine colleges draw many students from out of state.

How a mentor can help in Maine

For teens and parents

Mentors help a high school student build routines, stay on top of classes and plan beyond graduation, with parents involved from the intro call onward. See mentoring for high school students and mentoring for families. Students at boarding school can see mentoring for boarding school students.

For college students

Small colleges and big campuses alike ask a first-year student to manage time alone. A mentor meets by video wherever the student lives. See mentoring for college students.

For young adults

Whether the goal is steady year-round work, a move to Portland or Boston, or staying close to family and building a life locally, young adult mentoring turns it into weekly steps.

Pages for areas in Maine

See online mentoring in Portland, Maine. Families near the New Hampshire line may also find Southern New Hampshire or Boston helpful. Our online mentoring page explains video sessions, and mentoring by state covers every state.

What growing up in Maine looks like now

Maine teens often grow up with a seasonal job before they can drive: dishwashing on the coast, working at summer camps, raking blueberries or helping at a family business that runs hard from June to Labor Day and goes quiet afterward. In parts of Aroostook County, some schools have long built a fall break around the potato harvest. Spring brings mud season, when back roads soften and long bus rides get longer.

Small graduating classes are common, so students know everyone, and teachers know them, which can be a comfort and a pressure. Housing costs in greater Portland and along the coast have climbed, so young adults who want to stay often share apartments or live farther inland. New England states also share a regional tuition break for certain programs not offered at home; the rules change, so check the official sites when comparing options. Many young people head to Boston for a few years; some come back once they know what they want.

Situations Maine families and young adults often navigate

A teen whose summer job ends in September and who struggles to restart a school-year routine.
A student from a tiny high school weighing a big out-of-state campus against a community college close to home.
A young adult who loves the coast but cannot find year-round work or affordable rent near it.
A graduate living in Boston who feels homesick and is unsure whether moving back would be a step backward.
A rural family whose nearest support of any kind is an hour or more down the road.

Maine is on Eastern time, and sessions are by video at a time set in your local zone; in-person sessions are available only in Los Angeles. Families comparing options often read regional tuition discounts and starting at community college. Our area page is Portland, Maine, with Boston nearby, and education by state covers the wider picture.

Common questions

What time zone are sessions in for Maine?

Eastern time. Maine is three hours ahead of Los Angeles, and we always schedule in your local time.

Can you work with a student in Aroostook County or a small island town?

Yes. Sessions are entirely online, so any location with a reliable internet connection works.

Do you work with students at boarding or town academy schools?

Yes. We work with students at any kind of school and are not affiliated with any school.

Get started

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

Book a free intro call Text us

Free, by video, 20 minutes, with a member of our team. Weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific.

Online Mentoring and Coaching in Maine