Robin's Mentoring Matters Blog
Encourage and inspire youth to reach their potential
Five mentoring lessons from footprints in the sand
"Who am I?" What is the meaning and purpose of my life?" Anyone who has moved alongside adolescents will appreciate that these are just two of the many questions, albeit key questions they are asking during their journey to become a young adult and then an adult. Last...
How you can be that one caring adult all kids need
How much do you remember about your final year at school? Perhaps you did not enjoy school life for any number of reasons, so you do not have great memories. Or, like me, your final year at school is filled with cherished memories of dreams fulfilled, goals...
Powerful principles to encourage youth in a post pandemic global community
2020 has been an incredible year and it is not yet over. What is the most important lesson you have learnt from the events of 2020? I have learnt so many lessons and continue to discern more and more that we are lurching into an area of rampant socialist thinking that...
My mentor I have never met – life-changing moments
Perhaps you are surprised by the title of this Blog? Well, while sitting in the sun on the deck of our home a while ago, enjoying a cup of coffee - the joys of retirement! - I was reflecting on all the people who have influenced my life in positive ways. I was...
Tips for guiding youth through the post-Covid times
How do we guide our youth through the post-Covid months, perhaps years? What can we learn from our experiences throughout 2020 about life, relationships and the needs of our global community that must be addressed? These are tough questions and there are no easy...
Five key mentoring processes for meaningful mentoring relationships
In a recent youth mentoring article, fourth year doctoral student Julia Augenstern shares research about ‘how mentoring benefits are rendered or the specific processes by which mentoring relationships work.’ Julia describes how her team reviewed theoretical and...
7 Mentoring life lessons from youth in the water
Recently, when I was walking on our local beach and thinking about mentoring youth, I observed a young boy, probably about two years old, walking with his mother. The tide was moving out. Some small pools of water remained from the high tide. With great excitement the...
Six mentoring lessons from my grandchildren
"Gramps [the name I have affectionately been given], please will you play with us?" "Not at the moment." "Why not?" "Because I am chatting to your mum and having a cup of tea." A few minutes later Abby, almost six, peeks into my mug of tea to check on the state of...
The power of story-telling to change lives
"I nearly died, but I wanted to speak to you ..." Saturday evening a couple of weeks ago. My cellphone rings. A Whatsapp call. Jabu, calling from Los Angeles. I am in New Zealand! Jabu had been a student at the school in South Africa where I was principal in the early...
How to create beautiful memories for youth
Is there one specific positive moment from your youth that you will never forget? A special moment? A life-changing moment, perhaps? I have been caught up in writing this year. It is strange, as I have never regarded myself as being much of a writer, though clearly...