Teenagers have a way of asking questions adults don’t expect — about relationships, identity, the future, or why someone would spend their evening volunteering instead of staying home. Inside Simpson Housing Services’ mentoring program, those questions turn into conversations that build confidence, connection, and trust. What begins as a weekly commitment often becomes something more: a chance for both mentors and youth to discover new perspectives and possibilities together.
After moving to Minnesota during the COVID pandemic, Rachel W was looking for a way to reconnect with something she had enjoyed before — volunteering in a shelter setting. Her first volunteer experience at Simpson was as an evening shelter support volunteer. Her role was simple but meaningful. She spent evenings near the resource closet, keeping the door open as guests returned from work or the day’s activities and prepared for dinner. Some people stopped briefly for supplies. Others lingered to talk.
Eventually, Rachel transitioned into Simpson’s mentoring program, where she is now in her second year. The decision felt natural. In her professional life, she works in childhood trauma prevention and understands how powerful consistent adult relationships can be for young people. “One of the best protective factors we can give kids is having safe, stable, and caring adults in their lives,” she explains. Mentoring gave her a chance to be part of that impact in a direct, personal way.
At Simpson, mentors work with small groups of youth between the ages of 13 and 17 — an age range many adults shy away from. Rachel sees it differently.
“Teenagers are actually really fun,” she says with a laugh. “They don’t really have a filter yet, and they’re experiencing a lot of emotions for the first time. It makes for really interesting group dynamics.” Without the pressure of school or grades, mentoring sessions feel different. Activities are intentionally not school-like, giving youth space to relax, talk, and explore ideas without fear of being judged.
Some of Rachel’s favorite moments happen during the simplest parts of the evening — like the drive time to and from mentoring. At first, the youth questioned why adults would spend their evenings picking them up and volunteering their time without being paid. “They were genuinely confused,” Rachel recalls. “They’d ask, ‘They don’t pay for your gas? Then why are you here?’”
Over time, that confusion turned into trust. The car rides became moments for conversation, laughter, and one-on-one connection. For young people who may have moved schools or housing frequently, the consistency of seeing the same adults each week matters.
Mentoring also creates moments of unexpected joy. Rachel laughs about learning new slang from her group, occasionally needing to pause conversations so they can explain what they just said. Other times, discussions become surprisingly thoughtful — like when the group spent an evening debating why people choose to date instead of just being friends. These conversations give youth space to think through ideas that are already on their minds but rarely discussed openly.
For Rachel, one of the most rewarding parts of mentoring is watching understanding “click” for the first time. In her professional work, she often operates at a systems level. Mentoring allows her to see the day-to-day impact — the moment when a concept connects or a young person sees a new possibility for themselves.
Mentors, she explains, aren’t there to replace parents or teachers. Instead, they become another supportive adult in a young person’s world — someone who listens, offers honest advice, and helps broaden what feels possible. Sometimes that support is as simple as reinforcing something a parent has already said or encouraging a youth to think through a decision in a new way.
For those who wonder if they’re qualified enough to mentor, Rachel’s answer is simple: you don’t need special skills.
“A good mentor is just an adult who cares,” she says. “All mentoring really needs is someone who shows up, listens, and is honest.”
The time commitment is manageable — a few hours each week, plus occasional activities — but the impact stretches far beyond those hours. Rachel admits that some Thursdays she feels tired before heading out the door. But every time, she comes home energized, replaying conversations and small breakthroughs from the evening.
“They’re just fun,” she says. “It’s a break from everything else. You get to see the world through their eyes while they’re still figuring things out.”
That sense of connection is what keeps her coming back. For anyone considering volunteering, Rachel hopes her experience makes one thing clear: mentoring isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about being present, being consistent, and giving young people one more adult in their corner — someone who chooses to be there simply because they care.