This week I have the pleasure of introducing AJ, a mentee in the Partners for Youth with Disabilities (PYD) program. AJ described the program, his friend/mentor, Larry and why having a mentor made a difference in his life.
Introducing our mentee
AJ began the discussion by telling me a little about himself.
“I go to Campus Academy in Stoneham, am 18 years old and I live at home. School is going well and I would say someday I want to be a woodworker. I made a really nice coffee table for my Mom out of a piece of wood and liked doing it. I have had a mentor for about five years.”
What is a mentor?
I asked AJ how he would describe a mentor.
“A mentor is someone to talk to if you have any issues, but you can also have fun together. We go out to eat, go to bookstores, events and sometimes we go to Jordans in Reading. My mentor, Larry, lives nearby so he doesn’t have to travel far to see me.”
AJ was 14 years old when he first met Larry. He spoke of him fondly, describing a friendship that has grown over the past five years.
“Larry is my best friend. He would do anything for me and I would do anything for him.”
Yet AJ used the following qualities to describe Larry as not only a good friend, but a mentor that made an impact on his life.
“What’s important if you want to be a mentor? I would say you have to be a good listener and you need to have a good sense of humor. Larry does. We also both have disabilities, but that doesn’t really matter. We have the same interests.”
A mentee becomes a future mentor
I imagine AJ and Larry will continue their friendship in the years to come.
Yet it is also important to know that Larry has inspired AJ to give back to others. He described his plans for the future.
“I want to be a mentor myself someday, so I can help somebody the way Larry helped me.”
… And that is how a mentorship program can ultimately make a difference.