Bob Silk
with Boulder Enhanced Supervision Team (B.E.S.T.)

At-risk youth in Boulder County are in need of positive role models. They are in need of caring adults who can provide them with stable interaction, support in school and encouragement to pursue their talents and goals. They are in need of mentors like Bob Silk.

Bob has volunteered as a mentor for the Boulder Enhanced Supervision Team (B.E.S.T.), part of the county's Community Services department. The B.E.S.T Mentor Program matches adults and juveniles one-on-one in order to provide youth with enduring links to positive supports in the community and reduce the likelihood of recidivism. Like all the program's mentors, Bob meets with his "mentee" on a weekly basis. They spend time eating meals, bowling, go-cart racing, and generally hanging out together doing, as Bob terms it, "guy stuff."

One of Bob's priorities as a B.E.S.T. mentor is to provide his mentee with exposure to new and positive experiences. He inspires his youth to do well in school and achieve personal goals by first encouraging dialogue and activities that get his teen excited about personal interests and abilities. Bob knows that many at-risk youth have experienced a great deal of unfairness in their lives, often due to unfortunate family situations; many have suffered the disadvantages of encountering the justice system at a young age. "When youths encounter situations that cause them to believe that the world is not a great place to live, they tend to act out," Bob observes. As a mentor, he helps provide a little more balance to that equation.

In the past, Bob has supported youth in his community through other volunteer programs, but says he finds the one-on-one relationships provided by the B.E.S.T. program particularly rewarding. By becoming a regular fixture in the life of his mentee, Bob has the unique experience of witnessing some of the subtle changes his influence has made in the teen's life. These "little things," he says, "can stay with a youth for a lifetime."

"For me it's about being able to make a positive difference and knowing that, in the end, I may have helped someone who didn't have the advantages that I've had," Bob said. Bob's advice for those considering becoming a B.E.S.T. mentor borrows from the popular Nike catch phrase. "Just do it!" he says. "It's a good thing!"

For information about volunteering with Boulder Enhanced Supervision Team (B.E.S.T.) or other agencies, call the Volunteer Connection at 303-444-4904.