I'm Charles Kelley. I am from the Milwaukee area, and I'm about a year out of school, transitioning into adulting life. I moved to Rochester back in September for a career opportunity to follow my dreams as a morning anchor and reporter with KTTC. Right now, my life mainly consists of work. Joining Bolder Options as a mentor is a way for me to connect more with the community here in Rochester. I’ve been matched with my mentee for about three months.
I was motivated to mentor after doing a story about Bolder Options Youth Mentoring on KTTC during National Volunteer Week. I thought this would be a good way for me to get involved and feel more connected with the community. I had been in Rochester for seven or eight months at that point, and I wanted to connect, become engaged with the community, and meet people. I want to give back, get involved, and make an impact on somebody's life—connect with something bigger than myself.
Mentoring with Bolder Options is definitely helping me get out of the house. I’m building a new relationship with someone, and we can go do things together. I have that buddy to hang out with. Also, it’s nice to meet other people and mentors within the community at events.
It has been rewarding to see him look forward to spending time with me, whether it's going swimming at the pool or rock climbing. Seeing him be so ambitious and determined is fulfilling. I think it's important to have someone you can relate to and look up to—a big brother; someone to confide in during tough times. It’s nice to have someone outside of their family that they can turn to if there's a problem. I think this creates a positive impact.
Sometimes, I've had a hard day at work or I'm exhausted. When I go to pick him up and see his excitement, I'm reminded of how happy it makes him. I think, wow, I just made his day, and that’s really rewarding. Sometimes I'm not going into it with the best mindset, but once I get there, I remember why I'm doing it.
If I were to give advice to a new mentor, it would be to approach it with an open mind. You never know what's going to happen, and it's better to go into it with a positive outlook. You're going to make a difference in somebody's life, and you know you both will navigate through the experience together. You will have the support of the Bolder Options mentor coordinators. They are really helpful, and you can confide in them if you have doubts or if you're struggling with your mentee. They provide valuable resources that take some of the burden off your shoulders. They share in the responsibility of organizing events and help create opportunities so you and your mentee can just show up and have fun.
Through Bolder Options, I've met all different types of mentors. Bolder Options staff does an excellent job of matching mentors and mentees based on characteristics that complement each other. I believe that people with a positive outlook on life make good mentors. A desire to make a difference is what makes the experience rewarding and fun.
Bolder Options has so many activities to choose from; the staff plans events and sends out a weekly newsletter featuring free community activities. We've really taken advantage of the resources, opportunities, and events that are provided. It’s fun—some of these activities I haven't done since I was younger. Next week, we are planning to attend a clay-making event at 125 Live. We've also done a cooking class, gone rock climbing, and swimming at the gym. We want to try archery too. After this year is over, I hope to continue being someone with whom my mentee can stay connected—like an honorary uncle.
I've found that Bolder Options is a great way to feel part of the community. You meet others who are like-minded and want to make an impact. You bring joy to some of these children. Even other mentors I meet come up and talk to my mentee, making him smile. Yes, it’s cool.
Do you want to become a mentor with Bolder Options?
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