About MC6 Mentoring

The use of mentors as intentional advocates is one of the more exciting developments in the mentoring field and especially with the Military Children's Six Foundation. There is so much emphasis placed, and rightly so, on the interpersonal bonding aspects of the mentor-mentee relationship. We have much reason to believe that the trust, mutuality, and deeply personal connection between mentors and youth are often the drivers of personal growth (for both participants) and program outcomes. But sometimes lost in the desire to emphasize this special connection is the notion that mentors must be active, that they must provide something tangible that no other adult in the child’s life is positioned to do. Good mentoring may frequently be as much about instrumental support and providing access to opportunities as it is about giving advice or offering emotional support, and programs that use their mentors in a formal advocate role are well-positioned to bring a balanced approach to the mentor’s role. Obviously, asking mentors to play this role will have an impact on many aspects of MC6 "Shield" program implementation.

 

These include:

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• The need to emphasize certain personal traits in mentors, such as the ability to problem-solve, communication skills to engage other adults about their mentee, and a willingness to provide the mentee access to other adults and institutions in the mentor’s personal network.

• Messages that realistically portray what these advocacy activities look like in action.

• A potential emphasis on finding mentors with a history of helping youth overcome challenges.

• Screening protocols that assess whether mentors have the time and capacity to take on this deeper level of support.

• The need to emphasize certain personal traits in mentors, such as the ability to problem-solve, communication skills to engage other adults about their mentee, and a willingness to provide the mentee access to other adults and institutions in the mentor’s personal network.

• Develop curricula that explain the advocacy role to new mentors and illustrate the boundaries of when and how they can most appropriately advocate on behalf of their mentee.

• Information about how to interact with institutions and other providers or caring adults in the child’s life.

• Chances to practice what may be an unfamiliar role and think through appropriate responses to situations where some direct advocacy may be in order.

• Opportunities to receive extra guidance from program staff or referrals to other youth services.

• Processes for information sharing with the program, parents, or other adults so that the best outcomes can be achieved for the youth.

• Guidance for the mentees themselves so that they have a voice in when and how their mentor advocates on their behalf.

• Teaching mentees to find other caring adults who can advocate for them in the future once their current mentoring relationship ends.

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The big question for MC6 mentoring practitioners is to figure out how much, and what type of advocacy, makes sense for their mentee. There are several obvious examples of the types of "Shield" programs where direct advocacy would seem to be clear in order:

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• Shield programs in which the youth are “system-involved,” such as the child welfare or juvenile justice systems. Shield Mentors may play a huge role in advocating for youth as they interact with these institutions, helping ensure that youth are treated fairly and that the outcomes for mentees are optimized.

• Shield program in which the youth is making a major transition, such as moving into higher education or early career paths. A Shield mentor may be instrumental in helping youth navigate an unfamiliar environment or build a network of other caring adults that can offer ongoing or additional support.

• Shield program in which the youth are trying to overcome a barrier to their success, such as trying to improve academically in a dysfunctional school or living in a family trying to overcome poverty or homelessness.

 

One important consideration for all Shield mentors who are taking a more formal advocate role is to avoid lapsing into “fix it” mode on every problem the mentee encounters. The potential exists not only for mentors to overstep their bounds in relation to the parent’s child or program rules, but also to wind up inadvertently negating the voice and wishes of the mentee for whom they are advocating.

 

These considerations suggest that mentors must remember to “share power” when it comes to advocating for the mentee and make sure that the youth is driving the action and learning to advocate for themselves too. These considerations remind us that, optimally, advocacy means that mentors help find solutions and expand possibilities, not inappropriately taking control of situations or narrow options.

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• By encouraging Shield mentors to advocate for youth, practitioners may help to better ensure that youth are represented in areas of life where they can’t effectively walk alone and that they have someone who is looking out for their best interests in ways that are empowering and youth-centered. When done well, it’s the living embodiment of MC6 observation that, for youth to find success, “someone’s got to be crazy about that kid.”

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Volunteers are one of our most valued partners to help and empower us to serve military children and their families. Please consider volunteering as a Shield mentor, an outreach ambassador, a volunteer-at-large, or as a skilled professional. If your schedule does not permit you to give time to the organization regularly, please consider volunteering for one of our special events. Any time you can or are willing to give is another way to invest in our cause and is an investment into those we seek to serve. For more information on how you can become a Shield mentor, or volunteer partner, please contact us at info@militarychildrensixfoundation.org.

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