Mentors In Person

Knowing what we know now, we want to reach out to our youth because our hindsight can be their foresight.

Regather “The Village.” The village has shifted. It has dispersed. The village here refers to the community that cares for and helps to raise children positively. The community of parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, teachers, and caregivers, who used to teach and exemplify wisdom and life skills to the next generation, have been dispersed. Gone are the days when the extended family lives in close proximity to each other and serves as a support system to develop ethical values. 

Research shows that every youth needs between three to five other positive adults in their lives as role models and mentors besides their parents. These adults will be positive role models, passionate about making a difference in young people’s lives. These nonparental adults are interested in youth development and will listen, support, and offer encouragement to create a positive and successful experience for the youth. Part of the support is to encourage the youth to enroll in programs that help them discover and develop leadership abilities and position them to participate in leadership opportunities.

Sir Isaac Newton said, “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” Noting how the contributions of other scientists paved the way for his own.

Therefore, we need to offer a strong and up-to-date stepladder or stairway in the form of current know-how, so the next generation can climb on it and keep adding rungs or levels as they ascend to higher heights and see farther. We want to inspire change and growth that occurs by encouraging our youth’s conscious, consistent, and intentional participation in the process.

A mentor is a person who advises someone else based on their previous experiences. They tell and share experiences and shortcuts. They also share their failures and insights gained from life detours.

John C Maxwell said, “If we don’t help the next generation, what we have done for this generation won’t even matter.” 

Next Generation Empowerment encompasses a vision of an attempt to regather these mentors for easy access to the next generation. A place where life and leadership skills are taught and modeled for the younger generation to grasp and run with it.

So, I invite women who want to help the next generation succeed to step up. Look around in your immediate community and see how you can positively use your gifts, talents, influences, and experiences to serve the youth. As mentors and positive role models, we want to reach back and talk to our young selves in the person of girls and young ladies today. Knowing what we know now, we want to reach out to them because our hindsight can be their foresight. Because that girl today will grow up to be a woman tomorrow, we want to offer her timeless tools and resources to help her grow up to be a confident woman who positively impacts her world.

Together we can help inspire future female leaders to discover, develop, and maximize their potential.