This handbook is intended for use by a caring individual who is, or will be working as a mentor to an adolescent (grades 6-12). It is titled, Meaningful Mentoring because it provides strategies, hints, projects, and activities that can help mentors enhance the meaningfulness of their relationship with their adolescent mentees.

We do not intend for you to use the contents of this book to become primarily a director or teacher to the adolescent. Instead, it is important that you use this resource as a collection of strategies and activities you can use to make your mentoring relationship become more personally rewarding for you and for the adolescent.

Note that this handbook often refers to mentors as "co-pilots." That is, adolescents are the "pilots" in their lives while mentors serve as their copilots who provide timely assistance to them as they attempt to "take off" and "soar to new heights." At times, a mentor may even need to help an adolescent pass safely through "turbulence" in his/her life. Thus, the metaphor of mentor-as-co-pilot fits in many ways.

Based on research of more than 700 mentoring programs and a complete review of the professional literature, this book was compiled from mentoring strategies that work! The first four chapters cover the topics of:

• Understanding the role of the mentor
• Mentoring relationship-building tactics
• Starting and ending the mentoring relationship
• Handling challenging situations that may arise

Then, Chapter 5 will provide you with a checklist of more than 60 games and activities from which mentors and adolescents can choose to engage in.

Chapter 6 contains fun, self-improvement activities you and your adolescent can pick from and explore together. This section will give you several ways to enter into meaningful dialog with your adolescent about important, relevant issues in this adolescent's life. Topics include:

• Abilities
• Anger
• Schoolwork Confidence
• Character
• Attitude
• Friendships
• Alcohol
• Careers
• Feelings
• Conflicts with Others
• Other Drugs