The Power of Mentorship: Volunteers Share Their Experience with BBBSKY

Two groups of people understand the benefits of mentorship better than anyone else: mentors and mentees. While each of their interactions might seem small, the impact they have on each other and their community is impossible to overstate.

Quinton and Brandon are two long-term Bigs with Big Brothers Big Sisters Kentuckiana. They were kind enough to share their experiences mentoring Black youth.

Quinton’s Story: Motivated to Make a Difference

Quinton has been with BBBSKY for six years. He has stayed by Little's side throughout his journey from kid to teenager.

What motivates you to be a mentor to young people, particularly Black youth?

Quinton: I feel like everybody needs motivation, and some people receive more daily motivation than others. If I can be an instrument to promote some of that motivation and make somebody feel better, why not?

How has mentorship impacted your life personally?

Quinton: It’s shed a light on what kids are thinking these days, because they’re pretty honest. They don’t have filters. If it comes to their head, they’re saying it. So it helps to stay in contact with what’s relevant these days.

Can you describe a moment when a young person shared how your mentorship impacted their perspective?

Quinton: Oftentimes we’ll be laughing and joking and my Little will bring up a time where I got on him about something. He’ll laugh about it, like "Oh, I was so terrible. I can’t believe I was like that." Those moments of reflection show that the guidance sticks with him.

Brandon’s Journey: From Mentee to Mentor

Brandon has been a part of BBBSKY for four years. He has mentored two Littles from their pre-teen to their teenage years.

How has mentorship impacted your personal life?

Brandon: Mentorship has played a critical role in my development. I think it's the relationships I’ve been able to foster that have helped me get to this point in my life, where I have two degrees and I’ve done a lot of really cool things. I wouldn’t have done it at all without the handful of mentors that I’ve been able to have.

What unique challenges do Black youth face in Kentuckiana, and how can mentors help?

Brandon: It is excruciatingly hard to grow up in today’s environment, where you may have teachers and administrators that just don’t understand you. There may be services that don’t necessarily tailor to you. There’s expectations coming from your family and your friends of “this is who you should be as a young Black male.” And it’s not always fair.

You’ve gotta develop your identity. Sometimes you go through life and everyone wants you to zig, but sometimes you’ve gotta zag hard. When you’re a young Black man growing up in this world, you have to know how to professionally zag.

How do you address issues with self-esteem, identity, or racial pride for your Littles?

Brandon: You’re going through the world, and people want to put you down for one reason or another, and I think for me, it’s always the idea of coming into every interaction with confidence in my ability to do something effectively. I think it’s a hard thing for a young kid to go through that, having to figure that out in real time. 

But it’s a journey worth traveling. You will stumble several times over it in very quick periods of time. But being able to say, that’s fine. I’ll take these punches and I’ll keep it going because I know I’m the bee’s knees.

Why Mentorship Matters

Brandon: When you get to see your Little go to his football game and score a touchdown, or you see him come back to you after you helped him work on his tests and he went from being a C student in Social Studies to an A student in U.S. History. Those things matter. And having those relationships matters, especially when it’s someone who looks like you.

Want to hear more inspiring mentorship experiences? Our site features additional mentor success stories from real Bigs and Littles.

Advice for Potential Mentors

Quinton: It doesn’t require a whole lot of time–once or twice a month. I think it’s just very important for everybody to have somebody to talk to or hang out with, or just be a friend or show that you care. You know, a lot of people don’t think anybody cares about them. 

And that’s just, you know, not how we should be as a society. So any little bit you can give back and help, I think you should.

Brandon: A successful mentor is someone who’s willing to have some empathy and humility. But also be funny and willing to poke fun. My peers, my students, anyone around me, I want to know them to the fullest capability and I want them to know me in the exact same way.

I love the people I work with every day in the community. They know how I operate and they know how to hold me accountable. If at any given point I’m being stupid, they’ll happily clown me to death, and I’ll give it back to them the same amount because we have that relationship.

You too can get involved with BBBSKY and start positively impacting the Kentuckiana community today. Our programs page is a great place to find the community mentorship program that's right for you.

The Long-term Impact of Mentorship

Quinton: I heard it was a year commitment, but if I’m involved with a kid, I can’t turn that down. Anything he wants to do. If you need me for anything, I’ll be there. He’s stuck with me as long as he wants me to be around.

Brandon: A lot of people think of community service as something that's world-altering. Groundbreaking. Never been done before. But when you look at things from a 5 to 10 year scope, it’s really, “Where is this kid at 5 to 10 years, whether or not I’m still in his life?”

I’m a compilation of the people who came before me, from the ROTC teacher to the Law and Government teacher at Central High School. The lingering effects of our relationship are the things I look for in the next 5 to 10 years.

Get Involved

Becoming a mentor in Louisville and its surrounding areas is a powerful way to positively impact your community and help a young person realize their potential.

Join the Movement: Become a Mentor Today! Your time and guidance can change a young person’s life. Click here to learn how to get involved.

Don't have the time and still want to help? Donate now!

Written by Emma Wilkie