Finding Your Way With Someone Beside You
Starting over in a new place takes courage.
For many refugee youth arriving in Michigan, it also t
akes navigating unfamiliar systems, learning a new language, and trying to build a future all at once. It’s a lot to carry, especially alone. That’s where mentorship makes all the difference.
Through Samaritas’ Refugee Youth Mentoring program, young people are paired with caring adults who show up. Not as experts, but as steady, supportive guides.
Someone to talk to. Someone to learn from. Someone who simply listens.
And often, it’s the simple moments that matter most.
Help thinking through a career path.
A conversation over coffee.
Encouragement after a hard day.
“I think life is great when you have support from people who have experienced life fully and are willing to support you,” one mentee shared.
With that kind of support, something begins to shift. Confidence grows. Goals feel more possible.
A sense of belonging begins to take root. Another young person put it this way: “My mentor takes time to listen to me, gives me helpful advice, and makes me feel understood . . . Since having a mentor, I have become more confident, motivated, and hopeful about my future.”
That’s the power of having someone in your corner. Because when young people feel seen, supported, and encouraged, they don’t just adjust to a new place – they begin to imagine what’s possible there.
- Email us at LansingMentoring@samaritas.org to learn how you can become a mentor for a refugee.
- Click here to make a gift and support refugee youth programs.