Every time I meet with my mentee, it’s a chance to pause, turn off the stresses of my day and focus my attention on her. It’s a time to listen, to really hear what’s going on in her life, not with the intention to fix something that’s wrong, but with the realisation that I might be the only person she expresses herself to in this way. It’…
What is it like to be a SAYes youth mentor? Sometimes it can be hard, but for the most part, it’s pretty dang cool.
If you are thinking about becoming a SAYes youth mentor, it’s important to understand that the time commitment is substantial.
I love meeting with my mentee every week. No matter what’s going on in my life, either at work or home, as soon as I start to prepare for our hour‑long meeting, I switch gears. I have to. She’s expecting my full attention. Even if I’m on a tight deadline for work, or worried about the news I’ve just received from a friend, on the ride ove…
Everyone in a community benefits when young people and older people connect. The experience links generations, expands perspectives, offers new purpose and harnesses new energy. The great news is that SAYes provides a space for these constructive relationships to form, which they do successfully over and over again.
I had the opportunity to interview a few SAYes mentors from previous years before I embarked on my mentoring experience. When I asked them if they’ll be mentoring again this year, their answers were always something along the lines of, Gosh, maybe someday, but probably not right away . At the time, I didn’t really understand why they said…
We had another great SAYes mentor ‘meet‑up’ last week. It’s always nice to catch up with other mentors and swap stories.
The gravity of the SAYes mentoring relationship could be felt by everyone who attended this past Saturday’s Key Transition Outcome (KTO) workshop. The focus of the workshop was Living Situation and Citizenship, and we were privileged to hear from a number of mentees who were willing to share their experiences of leaving the group home env…
How do we talk about uncomfortable things with our mentees? Whether they are 15 or 25, young people need to know how to respond to pressures in their lives and to feel confident that we (as mentors) have their backs no matter what. It’s our job to bring awareness to certain topics, even if they make us feel a little funny. So, how do we d…
Getting together with my mentee during the school holidays can be challenging. Without having that regular structure during the rest of the week, it can be difficult to find a focus point during our meetings. I usually let her lead the discussion, and I just try to keep up with what’s happening in her life, bearing in mind that most of th…
SAYes was founded in 2008 to provide much-needed support for children and young people in South Africa. We provide youth leaving children’s homes at the age of 18 with guidance that enables them to develop their skills, further their education and source suitable housing, so they can participate in society as independent, responsible adults.
It costs SAYes R10,000 for one mentor–mentee match for one year. This includes recruitment, screening, training, monthly workshops, support from our social worker and graduation of mentors and mentees.
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