Meet Mentor Lexi! She is a 29-year-old nurse who joined our third mentoring cohort in February 2020. Lexi has a lot of volunteering experience and was looking for a new way to give back. She learned about Aging UP on NOW 100.5 (KZZO) during the Bonneville Sacramento PSA show with Cody Robinson. “When I heard that it was about helping teens ‘age up not age out’, I thought the organization sounded amazing and knew being a mentor was the right thing for me to do.”
We matched Lexi with Raven* and the first meeting “was just like what training said. It was awkward.” They met in-person only two times before the coronavirus pandemic began. Due to scheduling challenges, it took nearly a month before they connected by phone. Lexi didn’t want that to happen again and remained diligent with texts and calls.
Lexi’s consistency has built trust with Raven. During a call, she noticed that Raven was emotional. With gentle prompting, Raven shared that she was afraid to move and lose her foster parents and also Lexi as her mentor. Lexi immediately assured her, “I can’t make your living situation change but I will be your mentor no matter where you move.” By the end of the call, Raven was laughing and looking forward to an activity they would do together over Zoom.
Not long after, Lexi delivered a pot, dirt and sunflower seeds so the two could meet over Zoom to begin their first planting project together. Since then, they have enjoyed many more conversations and games over Zoom, phone and text. Just as their seedlings are growing so is their mentoring friendship.
Recently, Lexi delivered some of Raven’s favorite snacks and the two watched a movie together over Zoom. They also have plans to cook nachos “with all the fixings” while on a video call together. Social distancing isn’t stopping this Match from having fun!
Lexi found Mentor Training very valuable and often recalls, “It just takes one adult. I tell myself; I can’t change her situation, but I can be there to encourage her.” For anyone interested in mentoring, Lexi says, “Do it!”
We are thankful for Lexi’s kindness, sensitivity, and creativity as a mentor. If Raven moves, we will be in contact with her social worker and new foster family to ensure she and Lexi remain connected and that their friendship continues to blossom.
*Name changed for confidentiality.
