Young men are struggling—mentors can help | Matthew Jodouin | TEDxSurrey

Overview

The talk draws on the speaker's personal slide from a stable upbringing into drug abuse, hospitalization, and arrest to argue that structured mentorship fills a gap that parents, therapy, and social media cannot. Using recent data on male mental health in Canada and the UK, it frames mentorship not as a feel-good extra but as a concrete, affordable tool for reversing the crisis among young men aged 19 to 29. The talk closes with three actionable steps any adult can take immediately.

Key takeaways

More than half of Canadian men aged 19 to 29 reported moderate to high anxiety in 2024, signaling a systemic problem.

Mentorship is not a replacement for therapy; it is a complementary, low-cost intervention with measurable impact on confidence and direction.

Advice carries more authority from a mentor than from a parent because the emotional dynamic and power relationship are different.

Restoring mentorship requires three deliberate acts: creating safe spaces, paying close attention, and leading by example consistently.

Mentors benefit as much as mentees, gaining renewed meaning and purpose by helping others identify and develop their strengths.

Worth quoting

"You can't fix what you won't face."

"My mentor saw something and believed in me before I had the ability to believe in myself."

"Somewhere along the way we began glorifying independence — and look, independence is great, unless of course you're struggling alone."