Mentor and Coach for Young Adults

Blackburn Mentoring offers one-on-one mentoring and coaching for young adults in their late teens and twenties, by video anywhere in the United States and in person in Los Angeles, with one dedicated mentor who helps with work, school, money and independence one weekly step at a time. Mentoring since 2014, it starts with a free 20 minute intro call, and new clients are matched with a mentor within 2 business days.

If your young adult is stuck at home, gaming all day, not working or failing to launch, Blackburn Mentoring is a live-at-home option: one dedicated mentor by video anywhere in the United States, or in person in Los Angeles, with check-ins between sessions.

Related help

Mentors stay in contact between sessions, so progress does not stall between meetings.

Quick facts: young adult mentoring at Blackburn Mentoring

Who it is for	Young adults in their late teens and twenties, and adults; a parent can start the process, and the young adult sets their own goals
Family updates	Depend on the client’s age and the permissions they give
Format	One-on-one with the same dedicated mentor, by video anywhere in the United States or in person in Los Angeles
Between sessions	Text and phone check-ins on the steps agreed in the session
Session times	Early morning, evening and weekend times, scheduled in your time zone
Getting started	A short online assessment, then a free intro call with a member of our team; new clients are matched with a mentor within 2 business days
What it is not	Tutoring in a single subject, or therapy. Mentors work alongside a therapist only with written permission
Contact	(888) 305-5422 or the online assessment

Where mentoring helps

Finding direction: what to study, what work to pursue, what to try next
Getting and keeping a job: resumes, applications, interviews and showing up (see your first job after college)
School: enrolling, staying organized, keeping up with deadlines
Money: budgets, banking, bills and credit
Daily life: routines, sleep, fitness, cooking and getting places on time
Independence: moving out and running a household (see first apartment checklist)

What a typical month looks like

Take a 22-year-old who recently finished school, moved home and wants a stable job and their own place within a year. The first month might run like this:

Week 1: set three goals with the mentor and build a simple weekly schedule with fixed wake-up and work-search hours.
Week 2: rewrite the resume, send the first applications and open a savings account.
Week 3: practice interviews, track spending for the first time and start a regular workout.
Week 4: review what worked, drop what did not and set the next month’s targets.

Between sessions the mentor texts at the moments that count: the night before an interview, the morning a deadline is due.

Common goals young adults bring

“I want to move out within a year.” The plan covers income, savings, credit and finding a place.
“I want to finish my degree.” The plan covers re-enrolling, a class schedule and weekly study blocks.
“I want a job I can build on.” The plan covers figuring out direction, applications and keeping the job once hired.
“I want to stop wasting my days.” The plan starts with sleep, a morning routine and one meaningful task a day. See how to stop procrastinating.

For young adults who feel stuck

Some young adults are thriving and want to move faster. Others feel stuck at home, between jobs or unsure where to start, and lose confidence the longer it lasts. Mentoring meets each person where they are, with a plan built in small steps. See help for young adults who feel stuck and moving back home after college.

For parents

Many families reach out because they want to help without being the one who reminds, pushes and checks. A mentor can take on that role in a way young adults are often more open to. A few things that help:

Talk with your young adult about mentoring before you call us, and frame it as support, not a punishment
Agree on house expectations separately, so the mentor is not seen as an enforcer
With your young adult’s permission, the mentor shares progress updates so you can step back from asking
Recognize progress at home, even small steps

See mentoring for families for more.

What to watch for

Low motivation is common at this age and usually responds to structure. If it comes with persistent sadness, withdrawal, heavy substance use or talk of hopelessness, a licensed professional is the right first step, and a mentor can work alongside them. In a crisis, call or text 988.

How the first conversation usually goes

Young adults are often wary at first, especially if a parent suggested it. The intro call is relaxed and focused on them: what they want, what has been getting in the way and what they would like to be different in six months. No one is assigned goals they did not choose. Many young adults find it easier to talk to a mentor than to family, because the mentor has no history of reminders and arguments with them.

How it works

Young adults meet with their mentor in 60 minute sessions, weekly or several times a week, with text and phone contact between sessions. It starts with a short assessment and a free intro call, then a personal plan with clear weekly steps. Read more about adulting skills and how mentoring works.

Who young adult mentoring is for, and who it is not for

It suits people from their late teens through their twenties who want structure and a sounding board: recent graduates, people working their first jobs, those who left college and are deciding what next, and those who are doing fine but want to move faster. It is a paid, one-on-one arrangement with a dedicated mentor, which is different from a volunteer match; see volunteer vs paid mentor.

It is not therapy, career placement or financial advice. Mentors help people use those professionals well when they need them, and with permission can coordinate with anyone already involved.

What changes over the first few months

Early on: a routine that holds most days, a short list of goals and a clear first step on each.
After that: results start to show in real life, such as interviews, a steadier budget or a class finished on time.
Further in: the young adult plans their own week and uses sessions for bigger decisions, like a career change or moving out.

The pace varies with the person and the goal, and plans are adjusted along the way. A good sign is not perfection but recovery speed: a missed week turns into a short reset instead of a lost month. Over time, the mentor becomes less of a reminder and more of a sounding board for decisions, and sessions can become less frequent.

Mentor, coach or career coach?

A career coach works on one area, usually the job search. A coach often works in a set number of sessions on a goal the client brings. A mentor stays with the whole picture week after week, with contact between sessions, so work, money, routines and relationships are handled together. That matters because problems in one area usually spill into the others: a messy sleep schedule shows up at work, and money stress shows up everywhere. See coach vs career coach and is mentoring worth it?.

Key questions to ask any mentor or coach

What do sessions actually involve, and what happens between them?
How do we decide what to work on first?
How will I know it is working?
Can I change the frequency as things improve?
Will I work with the same person every week, or a rotating team?

Our guide to questions to ask a coach goes further.

Common questions

What age is young adult mentoring for?

Mentoring works well for young adults from their late teens through their twenties who are building independence, work habits and life skills.

Can a parent sign up a young adult?

Yes, parents often reach out first. Mentoring works best when the young adult is willing to take part, so we include them in the intro call.

Will parents get updates?

With the young adult’s permission, mentors share progress updates with family.

Is mentoring available outside Los Angeles?

Yes. Mentoring by video is available anywhere in the US, scheduled in the young adult’s local time zone.

Can I work with a mentor while I have a full-time job?

Yes. Sessions are 60 minutes and can be scheduled early, late or on weekends in your time zone.

Do you also work with people further into their careers?

Yes. Mentoring is not limited to people just starting out; see our page for professionals.

Can a mentor help me figure out what I want to do?

Yes. Mentors help you test directions in small, practical steps rather than waiting for certainty. See when you do not know what to do with your life.

What if I have tried coaching or apps before and they did not stick?

That is common. The difference here is one person who knows your week and checks in between sessions, so a plan does not depend on willpower alone. See how to stay consistent.

Can a mentor help me get ready to move out?

Yes. Mentors help with the practical steps: income, a savings target, credit and a timeline. See living alone for the first time.

How do I find a mentor for my 20 year old?

Decide what should change first (work, school, routine or independence), then compare free options such as workplace or community programs with paid one-on-one mentoring. Blackburn Mentoring works with young adults by video anywhere in the United States and in person in Los Angeles, starting with a free 20 minute intro call; new clients are matched with a mentor within 2 business days.

Is there a mentoring program for young adults near me?

If you are in Los Angeles, sessions can be in person. Anywhere else in the United States, Blackburn Mentoring works with young adults by video, scheduled in their time zone, with check-ins between sessions.

Is there a virtual mentor for a 20 year old who is stuck at home?

Yes. Blackburn Mentoring matches young adults with one dedicated mentor who meets them by video every week, anywhere in the United States, and checks in between sessions on routine, work or school and independence. It starts with a free 20 minute intro call, and new clients are matched with a mentor within 2 business days. See my adult son won’t leave the house.

Can a young adult in Houston, Seattle or New York work with a Blackburn mentor?

Yes. Young adults in every US city meet their mentor by video, scheduled in their time zone, including New York, Chicago, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Phoenix, Seattle, Denver, Miami, and the San Francisco Bay Area. In person sessions are available in Los Angeles.

Get started

Looking for support for yourself or a young adult in your family? 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 5, 2026.

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