Why Today’s Youth Need Intergenerational Mentoring

Fisayo is a teenager schooling somewhere in southwestern Nigeria. He loves to play sudoku, chess and scrabble, and relishes the company of anyone who plays these cerebral games pretty well.When he graduates high school, Fisayo hopes to study computer science and major in artificial intelligence (AI). Since he read about chess master, Gary Kasparov, getting beaten by a computer known as Deep Blue, Fisayo’s interest in AI and machine learning went over the roof.

But there’s one major challenge. Most of the other teenagers around Fisayo neither share these passions nor play these games. Most of them would love to pursue pretty conventional career paths in medicine, engineering, accounting, social sciences and the likes.

Considering Fisayo’s background, one tends to wonder where he caught his flair for cerebral games and the ambition to study AI and robotics. Except that he has a Sunday School teacher who influenced him to follow this path.
Dr. Bayo is a Sexagenarian lecturing in one of the foremost universities in the Southwest. As one of the earliest proponents of AI and robotics from his part of the world, he hopes to see other youngsters follow this path. However, most teenagers do not know about AI let alone show any interest. More so, a passion for AI is only one of many gifts he would like to share with the younger generation.

As a Sunday School teacher in the teenage section of his local church, Dr. Bayo believes he can be a bridge between his generation and passionate youngsters who are in dire need of direction.
Once a month, he organises a get-together where men and women his age can rub minds with these teenagers and offer them wisdom and counsel they wouldn’t find in school. Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Bayo and his friends, many of these vulnerable teenagers have grown to become intelligent, self-confident and capable adults who escaped the numerous traps of adolescence; drugs, violence, crime, etc.

According to studies, young people who meet regularly with older mentors are, • More likely to trust their own parents and build deeper relationships with them• 27% less likely than their peers to abuse alcohol. • 46% less likely than their peers to use abuse drugs.• More likely to embody greater levels of confidence, character, leadership and communication skills later in their lives and careers.

Healthwise, 81% of youths who encounter opportunity gaps but have a mentor are more likely to participate in sports or extracurricular activities than those who don’t have a mentor.Intergenerational mentoring gives young people the opportunity to connect with older adults. Thereby forging a stronger bond between both generations.

By relating with an older adult on a deeper level, these youngsters can learn life lessons about growing up which often translate to deeper respect and honour for the elderly. But there are more benefits.

1. Transfer of Life Skills Intergenerational mentorship provides a rare opportunity for young people to glean from the knowledge and experience of the older generation. This will not only save them costly mistakes but will also help fast-track their maturity and readiness for the real world.
   Young people badly need mentors today. Although anyone with the right temperament can be a mentor, senior citizens like Dr. Bayo have proven to be the best fit. Not only do they have so much wisdom and experience to give, but they also happen to be the age group who have the luxury of time and freedom to become mentors indeed. Many experienced adults are teeming with rich, latent wisdom; but have no one to share it with. This makes them the perfect candidates for mentoring roles in their communities.
2. Opportunity for CompanionshipWhen we pair the right adults with children or teenagers, we create a platform for mutual exchange of value, companionship and learning. Many adults also feel a sense of purpose and fulfilment giving back to someone. According to studies, this is an elixir for loneliness and boredom, two harbingers of depression.
3. Prolonged Health for the ElderlyStudies reveal that mentors involved in these programmes burn 20% more calories weekly than their sedentary peers. Also, they are less likely to experience falls, rely less on walking canes and have a sharper memory than their peers who don’t volunteer on mentorships. A separate study also showed that these older mentors have lesser anxiety over ageism.

Today’s youth are confronting so many challenges. And most of them try to muddle through life by themselves without success. Older citizens have the right experiences and can offer guidance and support. From storytelling, gardening, group reading, playing board or card games, reading to each other or exercising together, intergenerational activities are numerous. They offer both mentors and mentees a platform for mutual exchange of value.