Why we love online mentoring—and you should, too!
Virtual mentoring, or as we prefer — backing — makes it easy for adults to invest in future leaders, and for students to build vibrant support networks.
As students, we experienced challenging moments where the support from an adult in our lives made a big difference. Whether an adult shared helpful study tips, or feedback on how to ace an interview, the guidance we received was priceless.
Backing is a new way to support a young person. At backrs, caring adults connect, invest, and empower students. Building connections with adults, who can provide feedback and support, is a wonderful way for students to gain confidence to successfully achieve their life goals. This is why we at Backrs love virtual mentoring — and think you should, too! Online mentoring makes it easy for adults to invest in future leaders, and for students — we like to call them proteges — to build vibrant support networks.
Here are five reasons you need to become a backr today:
1. You’ll Make Meaningful Connections
Backrs is uniting the potential of young people with caring adults — creating a community that uplifts and empowers. The Backrs’ platform builds digital communities around proteges, matching them with a team of advisers — known as backrs — who are willing to share their gifts, resources, and networks. While some folks might think that connecting online makes it hard to build deep connections, the experts disagree, saying that online mentoring can lead to meaningful relationships.
As a backr, teacher Theo Ossei-Anto is continuing to foster a relationship he began building years earlier. “With Backrs, I have the opportunity to give back to the first student to talk to me on my first day as a first-grade teacher,” Ossei-Anto said. “ ... Back then, I just wanted to give her my time. And now with Backrs, I have the opportunity to continue to back her in her first year at college.”
2. You’ll Gain A New Perspective
Gen Z has grown up in a digital-first environment. They understand the benefits of using technology, which is why online mentoring is the optimal way to build connections with today’s students.
The Backrs’ platform allows advisers to meet proteges where they’re at, building dynamic relationships — even from a distance — through virtual mentoring. Our proteges, who range in age from 15-24, connect and engage remotely, providing an opportunity — for those among us who may not feel comfortable with technology — to learn from their example. A study found that mentors often come away with new perspectives and takeaways. For example, the study revealed that when a protege questioned a CEO, asking why his business did things a certain way, the CEO didn’t have a good answer. As a result, he planned to make changes.
3. You’ll Have Flexibility
If you’ve considered volunteer opportunities near you but weren't sure about the time commitment, Backrs makes it easy to volunteer. Online mentoring avoids barriers, such as meeting logistics and time constraints that might otherwise lead proteges to miss out on getting advice at critical moments. Virtual mentoring is convenient and allows for schedule flexibility so backrs can connect with proteges between meetings at work, after putting the kids to sleep, or even on a Saturday morning at a local coffee shop.
4. You’ll Stress Less And Help More
We know long meetings can be exhausting, especially when you have a lot on your plate. In only a few minutes you can log on, connect, and contribute. Most actions take less than 10 minutes, and proteges typically connect with their backrs every one to two weeks.
As a backr, you won’t go it alone. Proteges choose a team of advisers — usually four to six adults — including a parent or guardian. Having a team on board creates a more sustainable experience. The results speak for themselves. Nearly 85 percent of our proteges say they believe the relationships they build with their backrs will allow them to make lasting and impactful connections. Backr Keith Aikens, a communications professional from Georgia, said, “I try to step into the relationship with purpose. Backing makes you think about how you cultivate, grow, and care for relationships and people — how that happens and what it means.”
5. You’ll Expand Your Network
Proteges have advisers from diverse backgrounds, with varied careers and who may come from different age groups and locations. Just as our proteges expand their personal networks and connections, you’ll also have the opportunity to build new connections, meet like-minded professionals, find thought partners, and gain access to opportunities.
Backrs is a bridge to connect motivated proteges to broader, more diverse networks of adults who want to leverage their experience and skills to pay it forward. And through your volunteering at Backrs, you will learn skills, such as coaching, empathy, and active listening. And of course, you’ll make a difference in a student's life, building lasting bonds.