As Melanie Kisirye worked in the court system with survivors of abuse and assault, she was deeply troubled to see youth who had already lost all hope for the future. Many were navigating the impact of poverty alone. 

How can I get more directly involved? Melanie wondered. How can I keep a young person from losing hope? 

As she searched online for Toronto organizations supporting vulnerable youth, Melanie discovered Yonge Street Mission, and contacted our Volunteer Resources team about becoming a mentor. 

One mentoring opportunity YSM offers is to come alongside a student for a year as they navigate the leap from high school to college or university. Thanks to a gift from a generous YSM donor, every year several youth engaged in YSM’s programs are awarded scholarships for post-secondary education, with the option to be paired with a mentor. 

Melanie has volunteered twice to mentor a student. When her first mentee considered giving up on university, “I helped her find the things that motivate her,” explains Melanie. The student changed her course of study and became one of only 200 applicants accepted into a top nursing program. Melanie’s second mentee was feeling isolated and alone after leaving her community to move to university. With Melanie’s encouragement, the mentee sought out extracurricular groups and began to find joy in building a new community. 

How might these students’ stories have been different without a mentor? 

“Students have the capability to excel in their lives,” Melanie says. “As a mentor, I could provide the tools to help them navigate the transition from high school to university, which put their minds at ease when they felt unsure about the future. It’s always best if you have someone you can ask for help when you need it.” 

Want to learn more about these and other mentoring opportunities available through YSM? Email volunteer@ysm.ca or call (437) 870-1134.

This story originally appeared in YSM’s fall 2024 Urban Lights.