Mentoring is a valuable opportunity for anyone — but it is particularly impactful for deaf youth. Mentoring opportunities offer valuable experiences that contribute to personal, academic, and career development for deaf youth.
“Show me a successful individual, and I’ll show you someone who had real positive influences in his or her life.” — Denzel Washington
Mentoring is a valuable opportunity for anyone — but it is particularly impactful for deaf youth. Mentoring opportunities offer valuable experiences that contribute to personal, academic, and career development for deaf youth.
Growing up, I didn’t really have many deaf mentors. When I went to college, I began to meet deaf community mentors. I saw deaf people working in different fields and learned from their approaches, their philosophies. – Chris Moreland, Physician
Mentoring experiences give deaf youth opportunities to gain skills that will nurture their personal, academic, and career development. Positive mentoring experiences are mutually beneficial and have lasting influence on both the mentee, mentor, and even the mentee’s family members. Below are stories about deaf adults who experienced mentoring in different ways. While each person had a different type of mentor, they share similar fundamental elements: mentors who believed in them.
Parent Mentor Experience: Shira
Group Mentoring Experience: Marilyn
Peer Mentoring Experience: Chris
Mentee Experience: Octavian
There are many positive outcomes from mentoring experiences. When we look closely at the stories people have shared, the following benefits are evident:
If your goals are to create more opportunities and positive experiences for deaf youth, a well-designed mentoring program can help you and provide countless benefits for learning and growth.
Resources to Build Mentoring Opportunities
National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC) believes in the power of mentorship. We have a number of resources to help you get started on building or strengthening mentoring opportunities.
Need more help? As always, the NDC | help team is here to support you.
Mentoring Builds Up Self-Worth.
Research shows deaf youth who participate in mentorship programs develop greater confidence, self-worth, and deaf identity, which can in turn build self-esteem. They also develop better socio-emotional skills, self-determination, language, and explore more options after high school by receiving support from a place of shared understanding and life experience.
Deaf Youth Gain Independence Through Mentoring.
A study also suggests that deaf youth who work with mentors can strengthen coping skills, resiliency, and develop independent living skills.
Mentors Help Strengthen the Social Networks of Deaf Youth.
Studies have shown that having access to role models is critical in the development of a deaf individual’s social capital, providing them with connections and networks like help with getting a job or learning a particular skill or trade.
Positive Mentoring Experiences are Good for the Whole Family.
The benefits can even extend to families! After working with deaf mentors, parents and caregivers become more optimistic about their deaf children’s futures, boosting parental expectations that can positively affect future employment, pursuit of postsecondary education, and independent living.
Watch and share success stories
Take a self-paced online course
Download and share resources
View our webinar on Learning from Deaf Mentors from September 21, 2021.
