The Mentors Project: Kyle Kearbey

MENTEE
Students at Victory Trade School (names held in confidence)

OBJECTIVE
To see personal growth and holistic development through spiritual, social and emotional changes toward the student’s ability to interact, work and live life.

HOW
I ask intentional questions that lead to introspection and self-evaluation. I challenge poor behavior, attitudes and habits. A major part of mentoring and helping others grow, is to be transparent. I allow students to see my struggle and the path by which I overcame. This helps maintain leadership in the relationship and gives confidence to the mentee.

RESULTS
First, I ask the questions: Do I see a growing self-awareness in this individual? Are they increasingly aware of their own faults and failures? Second, is this person progressing in the issues they are dealing with? If someone is constantly dealing with the same issues, they are stagnant in their inner lives. Third, is there consistently a greater degree of joy and gratitude in their lives? This is the most noticeable.

CHALLENGES
People in general do not like change and have a higher opinion of themselves than they know. With the purpose of change, probably the biggest challenge is personal investment. You cannot truly be a mentor from a distance; you have to invest in that person’s life. You have to see them as a person, not a project.