Blackburn Mentoring serves Orlando and Central Florida by video. Our team is in Los Angeles, and clients in Winter Park, Windermere, Baldwin Park, Lake Nona, Oviedo and Lake Mary meet one dedicated mentor online every week, scheduled in Eastern time. We work with high school students with their parents, college students, young adults and professionals.
More than the theme parks
Visitors know Orlando for its attractions, and tourism and hospitality are a huge part of the economy. Families who live here know a broader picture: health care and medical research, simulation and defense technology, aerospace work tied to the Space Coast an hour east, and a fast-growing population of people who relocated from the Northeast, the Midwest and Latin America.
That mix shows up in schools. Classrooms in Winter Park or Lake Nona often include students who moved in recently, students whose families have been here for generations, and students who speak more than one language at home. A mentor meets each one where they are.
Getting around on I-4
Anyone who drives I-4 at rush hour understands why families here think hard before adding another appointment across town. Commutes between the suburbs and downtown or the tourist corridor can be long and unpredictable. Video sessions remove the drive entirely; a student can join from home ten minutes after getting off the bus.
Situations Orlando families bring to us
High school students with a full plate
Advanced coursework, sports in year-round heat, part-time jobs and dual enrollment can stack up quickly. A mentor helps a student see the whole week, cut what is not working and build a routine that holds. Our guide on executive function skills explains the habits underneath.
College students near home
Central Florida has one of the largest public universities in the country along with other colleges in the area, and many students commute from their family home. Living at home can make the first year feel like a continuation of high school, with less structure and more freedom. A mentor helps the student treat college like a job: a schedule, office hours, deadlines on a calendar. See mentoring for college students.
Young adults working in hospitality
Many people in their twenties here work in parks, hotels and restaurants. Some love it and want to grow into management; others took the job to pay bills and are ready for something else. A mentor helps them choose a direction and break it into steps, from a career change plan to a monthly budget.
Florida weather and the school calendar
Orlando summers bring heat, humidity and an afternoon thunderstorm almost every day. Hurricane season runs June through November, and a storm can close schools for a few days. Florida schools generally start in early or mid August, earlier than many states, so summer planning needs to begin in June rather than late July. Sessions continue from wherever the family is.
Session times
Orlando is on Eastern time, three hours ahead of Los Angeles. A 4:30 pm session is 1:30 pm for the mentor, and evenings work well for working young adults. We schedule in your local time, weekly or several times a week, in 30 or 60 minute sessions with text and phone check-ins between them.
Where a mentor helps
A mentor is not a tutor, therapist or admissions counselor. The role is a consistent, practical guide outside the family who helps someone follow through. For teens, start with mentoring for high school students. How sessions work by video is on our online mentoring page.
Related
- Online mentoring in Tampa
- Online mentoring in Miami and Palm Beach
- Young adult mentoring
- Mentoring for families
Common questions
Do you have an office in Orlando?
No. Our team is based in Los Angeles, and Orlando clients meet their mentor by video with text and phone contact between sessions.
Can sessions continue during a hurricane evacuation?
Yes, as long as there is a device and a connection. Sessions can be moved or shortened when a storm disrupts the week.
Do you work with students who commute to college from home?
Yes. Commuting students are a common fit, since the weekly structure helps replace the routine that campus life would otherwise provide.
Get started
Thinking about a mentor for someone in Central Florida? 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.