Community members, college students, and law students volunteer to become mentors in FLY's mentoring program. Each volunteer is rigorously screened and undergoes three rounds of interviews. Those selected receive continuous, in-depth training which totals over 28 hours a year.

Mentors are often the only positive role models the youth have ever had. They provide individualized attention, support, and consistent encouragement. Mentors are there in times of crisis and also engage with their mentees and other young people in monthly recreational activities.

The mentoring program works with youth that are dealing with drug or alcohol addictions. These youth are either referred to FLY by Santa Clara County's Juvenile Drug Treatment Court or by individual probation officers. Mentors work with teens to show them how to solve problems without turning to drugs or alcohol. A mentor is often the first sober and positive adult role-model the young person has ever had.

Some comments youths made about their mentors and what they taught them:

There are people out there who care.
I get along better with mom because my mentor encouraged me to talk to her.
I should think through the consequences of my actions.
Now I'm following up at school and on job interviews even when I don't want to.
I've learned how to set goals and think about what I want to do with life.