Exploring Issues with Youth

About This Page:
MENTOR Vermont recognizes that the world is a complicated, messy, vast, and amazing place; this is often confusing for youth to understand and navigate as adults also process different events and circumstances happening in our country and beyond. Below, we offer recommendations and resources for connecting with and mentoring youth through different issues.

MENTOR Vermont realizes that even as the recovery process continues, this is an uncertain time for everyone.

Below we have compiled recommendations for safe and effective mentoring during the pandemic, resources about COVID-19 and how to talk to youth about it, and resources/ideas for supporting families.

Click HERE to view an overview of MENTOR Vermont’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Information about Covid-19

Vermont Department of Health Resource Page
University of Vermont Health Network Resource Page
Office of Governor Phil Scott
- Press releases from the governor’s office, including details on the state’s efforts to address COVID-19

How to Talk to Youth About the Pandemic

Watch Dr. David Anderson’s Keynote Address from the 2020 Vermont Mentoring Symposium, “Supporting Youth in the Time of COVID: Strategies to Build Relationships and Better Manage Stress and Uncertainty.”
Print and share the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations’ “Wearing Masks” storybook
Review this guide on trauma
Read this Talking to Children About COVID-19 resource
Exploring Dr. Emma Hepburn’s illustrations on mental health on her Instagram
Refer to Dr. Jean Rhodes’ guidelines for mentors and caregivers from the Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring (includes age-specific recommendations)
WE Charity Well-being resource on How to Practice Resilience: How to Practice Resilience

A child walks past a damaged building in eastern Ukraine. (File) © UNICEF

A refugee is a person who has fled their country due to force, fear of persecution, and war/violence. An internally displaced person (IDP) is a person who has been forced to leave their home, but are still within their country (this includes natural disasters). Refugees are protected by international law, while IDP’s are still under the legal protection of their own country. You can learn more about refugees and IDP’s ‘here.‘

Along with navigating issues of war and conflict, it is important to recognize the home displacement refugees and IDP’s experience as a result of these different issues. We can help youth navigate the constant and shifting circumstances and current events in our world, by sharing resources with them and helping them understand these complex issues through open conversation.

Compiled Resources

Mental and emotional well being is important for everyone and is often overlooked in our youth. Mentors are often placed in a position of trust by their mentees, and as such will be able to see sides of the mentees that may otherwise be closed off to others. While mentors are not clinicians, it is important to provide them with the tools to help youth work through mental and emotional challenges, and connect youth to those who can help more effectively. According to WE Charity, youth ages 15-24 are more likely to experience mental illness than any other age group. Additionally, 70% of mental health challenges have their onset in childhood or adolescent years. As leaders in the mentoring field, it is imperative we help end the stigma that surrounds mental and emotional health by advocating and helping youth thrive.

Resources

MENTOR Vermont is committed to strategies that will enhance the safety and quality of life for all youth in our communities. We stand with youth, mentors, and families of Vermont as we collectively process these horrific events and consider the actions we can all take locally and nationally to end acts of gun violence. We want to make sure caregivers have the resources they need to talk about gun violence.

Resources After a School Shooting – LiberatEd