Character development through mentoring · Ages 15–17

theMarkYear 1: Identity and self-knowledge

Your teenager is deciding who they are — and deciding it somewhere else. theMark gives them a place where the questions are about them, not their grades.

Who it is for: Teenagers aged 15 to 17. Each one is in a group with their friends, and has a mentor of their own.
Rhythm: One group session a month, plus a one-to-one conversation with their mentor. Eight themes across the year.
When they finish: One certificate per year — Year 1's when you complete it.

What your teenager takes away

1They know themselves better.They find out who they are and what actually makes them grow, not what they are supposed to be.
2They learn to hold a conversation.It is the key tool of personal growth, and almost nobody teaches it.
3They are not doing it alone.A trained mentor walks the whole way, and they grow alongside their friends.

How it works

theMark puts conversation at the centre. Once a month: group mentoring with their friends, and a one-to-one with their mentor, who does not give them a lesson but helps them set their own goals.

The eight themes of Year 1: TheMark's Purpose · I Am Within My Relationships · Temperament · Virtues for Growth · Emotions as Allies to Your Goals · Your Values, Your Commitments · Your Identity, Your Strength · Bridges Between Stories

What it asks of the family

From your teenager, once a month: the group session, the conversation with their mentor, and their action. From you: getting them there and asking what they worked on.

Happiness has to do with the capacity to love and be loved: what Harvard calls meaningful relationships. And character traits (self-control, perseverance, integrity) are consistently associated with better outcomes, at school and at work.

Sign up at your organisation Ask about theMark at the school or organisation where this leaflet reached you.