Families and young adults in Portland, Oregon can work with a Blackburn mentor by video. Our team is in Los Angeles, on the same Pacific clock, and Portland clients in Lake Oswego, West Linn, the West Hills, Beaverton and the city’s neighborhoods meet one dedicated mentor online every week. We work with high school students alongside their parents, college students and young adults figuring out their next step.
Same time zone, simpler scheduling
Portland and Los Angeles share Pacific time, so there is no conversion. A 4 pm session after school is 4 pm for everyone. Evening sessions, early mornings and weekends are all straightforward. That makes it easy to slot sessions around school, practices and work.
The gray season and the motivation dip
Portland winters are long, wet and gray, and daylight is short from November to February. Plenty of students and young adults notice their energy and routines slipping in those months. The steady structure of weekly sessions and short check-ins between them helps keep goals moving when the weather is not helping.
If low mood lasts or is getting in the way of daily life, a licensed professional is the right step; a mentor can work alongside them. In a crisis, call or text 988.
Who reaches out from Portland
- Parents of high schoolers in public and independent schools around the metro, when a capable student has lost direction or is overwhelmed by deadlines.
- College students, in Oregon or away at school, who need help with time management and finishing what they started.
- Young adults who moved to Portland for the lifestyle and are now trying to build a career to match.
- Gap year students who want structure for a year off; see gap year mentoring.
Values-driven young adults and practical plans
Portland draws young people who care about the outdoors, creative work and living by their values. That is a real strength. Where we often help is the practical layer underneath: steady income, a budget, a routine and a plan that gets from where someone is to where they want to be. A mentor does not tell anyone what to value. The job is to help turn those values into weekly steps.
Common goals we see from Portland young adults include building a freelance or creative business on a schedule, choosing between graduate school and work, and getting back on track after a few years of drifting.
Getting around the metro
Portland traffic on the bridges, I-5 and Highway 26 can stretch a short trip into a long one, especially in the rain. MAX light rail helps, but many suburban families still drive everywhere. Meeting by video means a student can go straight from practice to a session at home, and a working client can join without leaving the office.
How sessions run
- 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.
For high school students, a parent or guardian joins the intro call, helps agree the goals and receives regular progress updates.
Where a mentor fits
Mentors are not tutors, therapists or admissions counselors. They are consistent, practical guides who help people follow through. Young adults usually begin with our page for young adults feeling stuck or young adult mentoring; parents with mentoring for high school students. Our online mentoring page covers the online format.
Related
Common questions
Is your team in Portland?
No. We are in Los Angeles, on the same Pacific time zone. Portland clients meet their mentor by video and stay in touch by text and phone.
Do you work with gap year students?
Yes. A gap year often goes better with a plan and a weekly check-in, and sessions can continue wherever the student travels.
Can a mentor work with my child at college in another state?
Yes. Sessions are online, so they follow the student, and with permission the mentor shares progress with parents in Portland.
Get started
Want to talk about mentoring in Portland? 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.