What is a Trusted Adult?

(adapted from the Vermont Network “Askable Adult Campaign – as shared by the National Council for Behavioral Health / Agents of Change newsletter)

A trusted adult is a person who is approachable and easy for youth to talk to about anything that is on their mind.

Trusted adults are committed to having strong, effective, and affirming relationships with youth using positive communication to develop trust and connectedness. 

Qualities of adults who are trustworthy include patience, consistency, respectfulness, honesty, kindness, attentiveness, trustworthiness, lightheartedness, open-mindedness, non-judgment, and knowledgeability. Trusted adults may have a similar racial/ethnic or sexual identity as the young person, or common background experience.

Youth often want to talk to adults about their everyday lives and school and family struggles. They are eager to connect about drugs and alcohol; sexuality and gender; relationships, love and sex; abuse and divorce; college, jobs, money, cars and life skills.