When Tiffany Swainson signed up to be a mentor in the YouthNet programme she had no idea what to expect.Nine years later her mentee, Jermiah Steede, is a member of her family.“We started up just with the lunchtime [meetings], but then we started taking it outside of the school, with the permission of his family,” Ms Swainson said.“We started out watching movies, and then we started having weekend visits.“Now one weekend a month he stays with me. It’s been a fantastic experience for both of us. We have a lot of fun. Our relationship is built around jokes and laughter.”Ms Swainson is one of a shrinking number of mentors involved in YouthNet; the charity has lost more than 200 mentors in the last two years.It is one of several hit hard by the difficult economic climate, with non-Bermudian volunteers leaving the Island and others having less time to volunteer.Ms Swainson said: “I had just graduated in 2004 and I was working for Ernst & Young. YouthNet was working in the same office building at the time. I thought that it was a fantastic opportunity to give back to the community.“I didn’t have any expectations. I didn’t expect to be set up with a boy. I had said I was impartial, but I still thought I would be set up with a girl.”Jermiah meanwhile said he was approached about the programme when he was in P2 at Victor Scott Primary School.“They asked me if I wanted to do it. Lunchtimes started to get boring so I convinced myself to try it out,” he said. “I was excited just to have someone to hang out with.”He said he was also surprised to have a woman as a mentor, but the two became fast friends, playing football and talking during lunch breaks.Since then, Jermiah said: “Tiffany and I have become like family.”Jermiah is now a student at CedarBridge Academy. He said his relationship with Ms Swainson has grown stronger with movie nights and regular weekend visits.Along with providing a friend, Jermiah said that YouthNet has helped provide him with opportunities to perform track and field internationally through the Alan Oliver Sports Fund.With the fund’s help, he has represented Bermuda at the Carifta Games here and in Jamaica, and at competitions in St Kitts and North Carolina.Ms Swainson said she could not be more proud of Jermiah’s accomplishments, and praised the programme for supporting him and other young people.She encouraged others to take part in the programme, describing it as an amazing opportunity for both mentors and mentees.“YouthNet is a fantastic organisation to become involved in,” she said. “This programme only requires an hour of your time which allows you to completely change a child’s life.“YouthNet provides quality relationship management and support in all aspects of a child’s life. It is very easy to become a mentor and has been the most rewarding experience of my life.“Jermiah means the world to me, and he knows that I will do anything in my power to help him to strive towards accomplishing his goals as he continues to meet me halfway.”YouthNet executive director Clare Mello said that while the programme requires a commitment of only one lunch hour per week during the academic year, in some cases the bond formed can stretch outside of schools.“We are fortunate to have many mentors at YouthNet who have been with their mentees for two or more years and like Tiffany and Jeremiah some of those relationships develop outside of school as well,” she said.“In keeping with best practice, YouthNet is involved in the transition and continues to monitor and support each relationship.“Whilst YouthNet requires a commitment of just one lunch hour per week for one academic year we recognise that spending time out of school can and does strengthen a relationship.“To address that YouthNet holds events throughout the school year, such as bowling, mini-golf, movies etc, which serve as opportunities for mentees and mentors to spend time together in different environment.”