Each YLA candidate is expected to have an adult mentor who will help and guide them through their Phase II YLA experience.  

The mentor is an adult from your parish who you know, like, admire, trust, and look up to.  This is a person who you would go to for advice, someone whose opinion, experience, and demeanor you are intrigued and impressed by.  It is someone who your parents and your rector know, someone whose professionalism, trustworthiness, integrity, and character are already known to be to be impeccable. 

The role of the mentor is to help the YLA youth meet all their YLA timelines & commitments.  They help to empower the youth’s own potential for leadership.  They are a companion and guide during one’s YLA experience, someone who you can always turn to for advice. 

You should meet in person at least once per month and be in touch by phone at least one other time per month (though we hope it will be much more).  We hope to accomplish much during this YLA year (including projects, fundraising, and mission trip preparation).  The mentor is someone who you can turn to every time you need help.  We would love it if they were passionate and knowledgeable about the environment since that will be a big focus of our year as we work to deepen our faith and practice leadership skills.