A Peer Mentor is:

✅ A friend

You will be a trustworthy, reliable ally for your Mentee by showing up, listening and walking alongside them. Thanks to your commitment and care, they’ll know they are not alone and they matter.

✅ An encourager

You will encourage your Mentee in two ways: by celebrating their growth when they take new steps or reach milestones, and by supporting them during difficult times. You will be their very first cheerleader and bringer of hope.

✅ A compassionate ally

With unconditional positive regard, you will meet your Mentee where they are, and not where you would want them to be. You’ll connect with someone who has a unique story and you’ll welcome their personal growth as a progressive, continuing process during the year.

A Peer Mentor is not:

❌ An authority figure

You will care with humility. You will meet your Mentee with the intention of building a relationship that is mutually engaging, not with a sense of hierarchy between you. You are not there to advise, tell them what to do with their life or use tough love. You are there to listen and encourage.

❌ A social worker or life coach

Regardless of your professional background, your role at BTS is not to provide any kind of expertise or to coach your Mentee. Remember that your Mentee is the very first expert of their own life while your are there to accompany them, not to direct them.

❌ A mental health expert

You are not expected to have been through the same experiences as your Mentee to support them. You will connect with them at an emotional level and provide encouragement by making them feel heard, understood and validated.

Emotion Focus vs. Action Focus

Put simply, a Coach focuses on teaching someone the right actions to take to make improvements. Heartsupport Mentors focus on helping someone through the emotions that keep them from those improvements.

Let’s illustrate by imagining how each role helps someone build a puzzle:

✅ BTS Mentors

“Are you overwhelmed about this? Let's talk about that.”

“I’ve felt the same way. When I do puzzles, I start by doing the edges. It’s less overwhelming.”

“I know this might feel scary, but you're not doing it alone anymore. I'm rooting you on.”

“Plus, while you might feel like you can’t do this, you've done stuff like this before.”

“Got it from here?”

❌ Life Coaching

“What’s your goal with this puzzle?
How quickly do you want to accomplish it?”

“Great. Here are the ten steps to crushing this puzzle.
Do it in this order.”

“I'll check in with you at step 3 to make sure you've got proper technique.”

“I’ll cheer you on when you get to step 6 because that one’s the hardest.”

“Got the plan?”

Your Goal:

As a Peer Mentor, your primary goal isn’t to get your Mentee to finish the puzzle. It’s to get them to a mental space where they know they can do it themselves, where they can feel “I’ve got it from here”.

You will support your Mentee in increasing their sense of self-efficacy — their belief in their ability to successfully deal with their mental health and life obstacles after spending a year by your side.

Being a Peer Mentor

Being a Mentor at Heartsupport isn't about "mentoring" in the traditional sense. Instead, you will be providing peer support, which means you won't be coaching or advising like a typical mentor.

Your main focus will be on being a supportive friend. Someone who listens, encourages, and stands by the person you are helping.