Local Mentoring Group Helps Young Men

Gangs, drugs, teen pregnancies…the world is a difficult place for a young boy to traverse alone without a role model or someone to emulate. Boys to Men Georgia, a non-profit organization working out of Grayson, strives to help these impressionable teen boys fulfill their destiny and gives them a chance to decide just what kind of man they want to be.

This mentoring program uses group meetings as well as exciting outdoor functions and activities to connect with boys aged 13-17 who might not otherwise have a male role model in their lives. Group meetings focus on a single theme per night; relationships, peer pressure, bullying, and money have all been focal points. The boys are invited to share their feelings in a comfortable, safe environment.

“It brings them out from behind their shields,” said Matt Zavadil, program director. “It’s phenomenal to see a boy open up.”

The program is a combination of Boy Scouts, Big Brothers and Outward Bound. They do not provide one-on-one mentoring, but have group meetings twice a month. The mentors are on hand to provide guidance, but they make sure that they don’t just “tell” the boys what to do, or solve their problems for them.

“We are not father figures,” said Zavadil. “We are more like uncles. They don’t want to be told what to do – they want to figure it out for themselves. That is a great source of strength. We are in a great position with these kids because we can help them see the strength in themselves, so that they can utilize it on their own.”

Although Boys to Men has been a functioning entity worldwide for more than 15 years, the Georgia branch was founded a year ago. They currently have 15 active members and 12 boys who participate, but numbers have been limited because of a lack of mentors.

“We have a great need for mentors,” Zavadil said. “If we opened our doors to more boys, we would be overwhelmed, the need is so great. We have a lot of single moms telling us, ‘I need help with my son.’”

Zavadil said being a mentor is hugely rewarding, with only a small commitment required. The group meetings take four hours a month and the outings are always held on the weekends. Training is provided for mentors, as well, giving them the skills they need to listen, accept, admire and respond to the young men they are mentoring. Women also play a vital role in the program.

“They are fantastic networkers,” Zavadil said. “We have mothers who cook for our outings. We couldn’t do without them.”

Outings have included paint ball tournaments, rock climbing, laser tag and hiking.

A major role the program plays is the Rite of Passage ceremony. Young men participate in the weekend-long event that involves wilderness skills combined with introspection and group sessions that enables the boys to transition into the men they want to be. Once completed, the boys are known as Journeymen, a term that Boys to Men encourages the family to use to signify such a monumental change in the boys’ lives.

For more information on this program, or to become a mentor, visit www.boystomenga.org.