Mentoring for young men pairs a guy in his late teens or twenties with one dedicated mentor who helps him get specific about what he wants, then hold to it week after week. The work is practical: a job or career path, a routine he keeps, fitness, money, confidence and relationships. Sessions run by video anywhere in the US or in person in Los Angeles.
Who it is for
Most of the young men we work with are somewhere between 18 and their late twenties. Some are in college or just out of it. Some skipped college, or started and stopped. Some are working but feel like they are drifting.
What they tend to have in common is that they are capable and they know it, but the gap between what they could be doing and what they are doing has started to bother them.
What we actually work on
Direction and work
Choosing a lane, even a temporary one. Building a resume that tells the truth well, getting through interviews, handling a first boss, or deciding whether a trade, a degree or a job is the right next step. See career and education.
Discipline and routine
A wake-up time that holds, a training schedule, a phone that does not run the day. Discipline here is not about willpower speeches; it is about a plan small enough to keep and someone who checks. More in how to build self-discipline.
Fitness and health
Getting back into the gym, eating like an adult, sleeping enough to function. Mentors are not trainers or doctors, but they help a young man set a realistic plan and stick to it.
Money
A first budget, paying down a credit card, saving for a deposit, understanding a paycheck. Plain skills that nobody sat down and taught.
Confidence and relationships
Talking to a manager, asking someone out, repairing things with a parent, making friends after school ends. Confidence usually follows small wins, so that is what we build.
How it works
- Take a short assessment. Tell us about the student or yourself and the goals. It takes about five minutes.
- Have a free intro call. Our team reviews it personally and sets up a short call.
- Meet the mentor. We match each person with a mentor whose experience and style fit.
- Start the plan. 30 or 60 minute video sessions on a weekly or monthly plan, scheduled in your local time.
Between sessions he can text or call his mentor. Plans are 30 or 60 minutes, weekly or several times a week, billed week to week or monthly. The full process is on how mentoring works.
When a parent reaches out for a son
Families often contact us first. That is normal, and it is fine. What matters is that the young man chooses to do it, because mentoring only works when he shows up for himself. A few ways parents have raised it without making it feel like a punishment:
- “I am not trying to fix you. I think you would get more out of talking to someone who is not your mom or dad.”
- “Would you do one intro call and decide after? If it is not for you, we drop it.”
- “I will cover it for a few months. What you work on is up to you.”
With his permission, the mentor shares progress updates with the family. Without it, the details stay between him and his mentor. There is more on that balance on our page for families, and on the specific situation of a son who has stalled in when an adult child will not get a job.
What a mentor is and is not
- Is: a steady, direct adult in his corner who knows his goals and asks about them every week.
- Is not: a therapist, a tutor or a drill sergeant. If anxiety, low mood or substance use is part of the picture, a licensed professional is the right step, and a mentor can coordinate with professionals already involved. In a crisis, call or text 988.
- Is not: a lecture about what men should be. We do not do slogans. We work on his goals, in his words.
Why it helps to have someone outside the family
A young man can hear the same advice from a parent and from a mentor and react to it completely differently. Every conversation at home carries history. A mentor has no history with him, no stake in old arguments and no reason to say “I told you so.” That makes it easier to be honest about what is not working, which is where progress starts. For guys who feel especially stuck, see help for young adults who feel stuck; for the broader service, young adult mentoring.
Related
Common questions
What age range do you work with?
Mostly young men from 18 into their late twenties. We also work with high school students, with a parent involved, through our high school program.
Do I have to be in crisis or failing to get a mentor?
No. Some clients are struggling and some are doing well and want to move faster. Either way, the work starts with goals he picks.
Can a parent pay and still respect his privacy?
Yes. We agree up front what gets shared. With his permission, the mentor sends families progress updates; personal details stay private unless he chooses to share them.
Are sessions in person or online?
Both. Video sessions are available anywhere in the US, scheduled in his local time, and in-person sessions are available in Los Angeles.
Get started
Thinking about a mentor for yourself or your son? 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.