Information for Mentors

'There is soul work here that I could have gotten no where else.' - JT, St. Paul

' I never felt so alive.' - JM, Minneapolis

'I wish I had this when I was a kid.' - CB, St. Paul

'The best thing I have ever done for myself.' - LS, St. Paul

'I know I'm making a difference now.' - RO, Minneapolis

What will I get out of this?

More than you can imagine. Seeing your care make a real difference. Access to fun & meaningful activities with your boy. Growing exponentially by facing the issues that come up as you face your inner teenager. Powerful support from a clear circle that knows that your passage into mentorship is a gift for everyone. Friendship with great people.

What is my job description as a mentor?

A mentor is a personal ally and supporter. A mentor is not a teacher or surrogate parent. Some young men think of them as uncles or big brothers. Boys to Men screens our volunteers carefully. We’re looking for good men who are already successful in their own lives. Then BTM shares what we know with our mentors: that young men are already excellent, and that mentors get as much as mentees from their friendships.

What is the time commitment?

Minnesota Boys to Men offers four levels of commitment for you to choose from. Some boys don’t want or need much, and some do. We arrange our pairs based on common interests, location, and of course by matching needs with corresponding willingness.

Is there training for me?

Boys to Men is proud to offer what we believe is among the finest possible training available to help our mentors be ready to be with their boys in a good way. In our Mentor Training Weekend, “Reclaiming the Teenage Fire”, you’ll get a gift that you’ll treasure for the rest of your life.
First we’ll take you back into your own hopes, fears, dreams, and experiences of adolescence. We’ll help you identify your own strengths and style of mentoring, and of course we’ll share what we know about how to be with boys in a way that will change.

What happens on the Boys’ weekend?

There are games, activities, discussion circles, challenge events, and celebrations of victory. We’ll share the full agenda for the weekend with parents you come with your boy to register. We won’t tell the boys the specifics of the agenda since it would dilute the effectiveness of the processes. Integrated into the team & skill building we have opportunities for personal sharing amongst the boys. Often the boys open up their deep issues to find acceptance, witnessing, and support. At the end they are celebrated for their successes and asked to commit to their own path to manhood in a powerful way.

What happens after besides the weekend?

Any young man who has completed his Passage Adventure Weekend is called a Journeyman. We have ongoing activities that include fun events, social service, and skill building. Matches can be made on weekends, at activities or in a more private setting. Mentors are invited to attend activities as their boys and they are interested. Mentors who commit to spending more time are asked to have their own activities and phone relationships with their new friends. Each chapter of Boys to Men has a mentor support person who will call you periodically to see how it’s going and offer options & support.

Is this a religious outfit?

No. Boys to Men has no religious affiliation or religious teachings. Some chapters of Boys to Men do operate out of church facilities, but Boys to Men supports each boy’s individual spiritual tradition and journey. However Boys to Men does support values like truth, integrity, and responsibility.

How much does this cost?

Mentors don’t pay anything to become a mentor, and all Boys to Men events are free to Mentors. Mentors pick up the costs of their transportation, and the things they do for and with their boys.

How can I sponsor another kid to go through?

It’s easy. Just click sponsors, and you’ll be on your way to supporting a boy onto his journey. If you want to know more specifically how much of a difference this makes have a look at letters from parents.

Do I pick the boy I want to mentor?

No, but you do have input. Your likes, lifestyle, age, location and personal preferences are all important parts of the match, but the matches are made by our mentor program coordinator. The coordinator will also be considering the likes, lifestyle, age, location, personal preferences, psychology and needs of our boys.

How is this outfit different from Big Brothers and Big Sisters?

There are hundreds of mentoring programs operating in Minnesota. Some programs focus on group mentoring by having one adult to many kids, and some focus on making one to one match-ups. BBBS is the largest mentoring organization in Minnesota, and they focus primarily on facilitating one to one mentor matches with children of both genders. Boys to Men has three main program components, Rites of Passage, ongoing activities, as well as optional one to one mentor match-ups.

How are you different from the Boy Scouts?

The Scouts are a fantastic group mentoring organization. One component of our program, ongoing activities with merit badges is very similar. However Boys to Men also has optional one to one mentor match-ups, and our “Passage Adventure Weekend”. This exciting weekend is carefully designed to initiate boys’ passage into manhood in many specific ways. It’s a wild ride. Boys’ days and nights are packed with games, challenges, mystery, and direct talk between men. It all happens at a camp that’s far enough out to be wild.

Does race matter?

No. Boys to Men’s participants come from many races, we do not discriminate based on class or racial lines in our program.

Boys to Men is a growing organization that's helping rebuild a multigenerational community of men.
It has been our job for millennia to help young men cross the threshold to manhood using a rite of passage, a first step in their road to enlightenment and connectedness.
We aren't just a circle of peers anymore, its not just about us. It's more importantly about reaching out to the young and supporting them in ways that will bring them a life of success and joy.
It's about reconnecting the chain that links together generations, not just peers.

Did you have supportive men in your life as an adolescent? Many of us did not. In recent generations, most communities of men have forgotten how to support and initiate their young men. The result of this neglect is evident.

But the men are back!
We are remembering how to initiate and support young men. Come remember with us.

Our Rite of Passage Training Adventure is magic for those who participate, young and old.
Let's give the young men in our communities the gifts we've received, for it will change their lives!

Mentor Commitment Levels
Mentor Training Weekend
Overview of the Boys to Men Network
Rites of Passage Weekend
Mentor Registration Form

Call me today or contact us

Steve Borden
Mentor Coordinator, BTM-MN
612-867-4924