Blackburn Mentoring gives Santa Barbara and Montecito students and young adults one dedicated mentor, met by video every week, who helps them set a few clear goals and follow through on them. Between sessions the mentor checks in by text and phone so the plan keeps moving. For students under 18 a parent can join the free 20 minute intro call, agree the goals and get regular updates.
Two very different school settings
The city of Santa Barbara is served by Santa Barbara Unified School District, which enrolled 13,065 students from kindergarten through 12th grade in 2025 to 2026, according to Ed-Data. Next door, Montecito has its own tiny elementary district: Montecito Union enrolled 394 students in kindergarten through sixth grade that year. A child can go from a school where every teacher knows them to a much larger setting within a few years, and many families also weigh independent and boarding school options across the region.
The two communities differ in other ways too. The U.S. Census Bureau counts 86,422 people in Santa Barbara in 2025, with 51.9% of adults holding a bachelor’s degree or higher and 31.2% speaking a language other than English at home. In Montecito (8,638 people at the 2020 Census), 76.3% of adults hold a bachelor’s degree or higher, only 14.8% of residents are under 18 and about a third are 65 or older (American Community Survey, 2020 to 2024).
What brings Santa Barbara and Montecito families to a mentor
- The move to a bigger school. Going from a small school to a large high school means more teachers, more portals and less hand holding. A mentor builds the planning habits before grades show the gap. See the middle to high school transition.
- Students in boarding or independent schools. A student living away from home, or moving between home and a residential school, can keep one steady mentor by video. See independent school families.
- Growing up with every advantage. Comfort can mean fewer chances to build independence. A mentor gives a teenager or young adult real responsibility for a weekly plan and real accountability for it.
- College students in a college town. Santa Barbara is full of college students, including young people from elsewhere who study here. A mentor helps with routines, a heavy course load, an internship search or a semester that went wrong. See mentoring for college students.
- Young adults deciding whether to stay. Housing costs make it hard for many graduates to build an independent life here. A mentor helps them compare staying, moving to Los Angeles or leaving the region with a plan rather than by drift.
How sessions work from Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara is a long drive up the 101 from our Los Angeles base, so families here meet by video. Sessions fit around school, sports and work, with early morning, evening and weekend times. In person meetings happen only in Los Angeles, and some families combine one with a trip south. Families in Ventura County may prefer our pages on Ojai and Ventura and Oxnard. Families anywhere in Southern California can also see our Southern California areas page.
How to start
- Take a short assessment. Tell us about the student or young adult and the goals. It takes about five minutes.
- Have a free 20 minute intro call. For high school students, a parent is welcome to join. We talk through fit, schedule and how sessions would work from Santa Barbara and Montecito.
- Meet the mentor. New clients are matched with one mentor within two business days.
- Start the plan. 60 minute video sessions, weekly or several times a week, with text and phone check ins between them.
For Santa Barbara Unified specifics, including the 60 hour service requirement and the 10 year plan, see our guide to mentoring for Santa Barbara Unified students.
Related
- All Southern California areas
- Mentoring in Ojai
- Mentoring in Ventura and Oxnard
- Mentoring in Malibu
- College transition mentoring
- Young adult mentoring
Common questions
Do you meet clients in person in Santa Barbara or Montecito?
No. Sessions with Santa Barbara and Montecito clients are by video. In person meetings take place only in Los Angeles.
Can you work with a student at a boarding school?
Yes. Video sessions work for students living at school, and the mentor coordinates with parents on goals and updates, with the student’s knowledge.
Do you work with college students in Santa Barbara who are from somewhere else?
Yes. A college student anywhere can work with a mentor by video, and parents can be part of the plan if the student agrees.
Is mentoring the same as admissions consulting?
No. Mentors do not write applications or promise admissions. They help students plan, build routines and follow through, which supports whatever path the student chooses.
Get started
Looking for a mentor in Santa Barbara and Montecito? 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.
Free, by video, 20 minutes, with a member of our team. Weekdays 9 to 5 Pacific.