There are so many things that make up a good mentor. I would want a mentor to have the following attributes: a good listener, a guide, be accessible, supportive, caring, provide insite.
Kids today communicate on a level of technology that includes texting, you tube, twitter ext. So I recommend that you and your staff be familiar with up to date language and stay in the know with our young people.
Good luck to you in your endeavors and keep up the good work!

Suggestion for Staff: Develop a strong Mentor to Mentee matching system. I am a mentor with the Big Brother Big Sister program. I had to go through a background check, an extensive interview with Staff members, and with my Little Sister and her family. Through that process, they were able to match me with the PERFECT Little for me. I think the right match between the Mentee and Mentor is extremely important. For example, during the interview process I was asked if I could mentor children with certain behavior, emotion, etc. issues and some of my answers were "No." It is very important for a Mentor to be able to pull from their life experiences, so they can connect with the Mentee. After I was matched with my Mentee, it felt like I truly had a Little Sister.

Attribute of a Mentor: SELFLESS

A good mentor should be able to bring themselves down to the level of the young men and women they are mentoring. They need to relate to their issues like they are their own. I also think kids look up to people who can make them laugh. I was a summer camp counselor for three years and I know 1st hand that if you can get kids to laugh and have fun that teaching them about values and respecting others becomes a heck of a lot easier. A good mentor should not only teach, but be able to communicate well with those who are being taught. To listen to peoples issues and turn their issues into learning lessons. Once again London, Thank you for your hard work on and off the field. You are appreciated brother.