Trying to mentor a troubled teen. Got any advice?

I'm helping a teenager grow to be a mature, responsible adult. At least that's what I hope to do. His father abandoned him and his mother when he was little, and his mother asked me to help him learn how to be a man. So I'm sort of like an big brother to him. I'm concerned about some of the people he hangs out with at school, I know they're not good influences and I want him to know the dangers of getting involved with the wrong crowd. Of course he needs friends his age but I want him to avoid the pitfalls of youthful inexperience. Got any suggestions?Trying to mentor a troubled teen. Got any advice?
Your taking on a huge task here and I commend you for it. To get a teens respect you have to have guidelines and rules of what you will and will not allow. Than you have to show hom that you really care but will not tolerate certain behavior. Let him know when your proud of him and let him know when certain behavior is not tolerated. Make the rewards on his level that he will feel like an adult. Everyone needs a person that they can talk to and feel safe that the talk stays there. Instead of preaching to him about the wrong crowd, find someplace that appeals to him and has a healthy crowd. Good luckTrying to mentor a troubled teen. Got any advice?
Be agood influence on him, and maybe he will see that as more important than his friends' influence. Act responsibly around him. Do fun things with him, like going to concerts and movies, but have your limitations. Don't feel pressured to do anything. Let him know that you are there for him and he can call you or email you anytime he wants to talk. Good luck!
Try figuring out what they like and take the child to places like the mall just do stuff with him/her to get to know them that's how to get to know them!
join scouts, he will enjoy it and so will you if you particpate too, cub scouts start at first grade, and can continue up untill he is 18, then he can become and adult leader
explain to him why u think his friends r wrong for him, and what might happen to him if he hangs out with them. and teach him.
The only thing I can think of, is getting him involved in a BETTER crowd. Also, tell him about your experiences and how you were in his shoes when you were younger. When you talk to him, remember what you were like when you were a teenager and how you responded to counseling and advice from someone who was older. What made you think, ';yeah, yeah, they don't know any better...'; and what made you think, ';oh, maybe this guy is right... maybe I should listen to him.'; Keep these things in mind when you talk to this teenager.
Talk to him. And don't talk down to him. Teens need to pull away from their parents as part of the growing up process, but they still need an adult to help them through life. Find out what is going on with him, what is bothering him. This has worked with me and the teens I have mentored. The feelings are the same. And sometimes you have to take a step back and remember that they are still ';kids'; (ok, the ones I work with are 12-14), and just being exposed to things we are used to, and figuring them out.





Encouraging this man when he does good things is key. Find out what he wants to do with his life, and help him get there. Expose him to things that he isn't getting. You will be amazed at how people will start to make better choices when there is someone they cna trust guiding them along the way.
Become his friend! In soon time he will learn to trust you and when that happens everything will fall into place.