Identifying ten characteristics of quality mentoring programs

Abstract

This effective practice shares ten characteristics for developing a quality mentoring program or evaluating an existing one. It is excerpted from a 2002 toolkit created for the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation, with a focus on school completion within the priority area of youth achievement.

Issue

How to develop a new mentoring program or evaluate an existing one, making sure that mentors are being fully utilized to have the greatest possible impact on the children in communities served.

Action

The National Mentoring Partnership has developed the following ten standards of practice that can serve as a guide for developing a quality mentoring program. Though many mentoring efforts do not begin with all ten elements fully in place, these standards correlate with those programs that achieve positive and lasting impacts for children and youth.

A statement of purpose and long-range plan that includes:

Who, what, where, why, and how activities will be performed
Input from originators, staff, funders, potential volunteers, and participants
Assessment of community need
Realistic, attainable, and easy-to-understand plan of operations
Goals, objectives, and timelines for all aspects of the plan
Funding and resource development plan

A recruitment plan for both mentors and participants that includes:
- A portrayal of accurate expectations and benefits
- Year-round marketing and public relations
- Targeted outreach based on participants' needs
- Volunteer service opportunities beyond mentoring
- A basis in the program's statement of purpose and long-range plan
An orientation for mentors and participants that includes:
- Program overview
- Description of eligibility, screening process, and suitability requirements
- Level of commitment expected (time, energy, flexibility)
- Expectations and restrictions (accountability)
- Benefits and rewards participants can expect
- A separate focus for potential mentors and participants
- A summary of program policies, including:
  - Written reports
  - Interviews
  - Evaluation
  - Reimbursement
Eligibility screening for mentors and participants that includes:
- An application process and review
- A face-to-face interview and home visit
- Reference checks for mentors, which may include character references, child abuse registry check, driving record checks, and criminal record checks where legally permissible
- Suitability criteria that relate to the program statement of purpose and needs of the target population, which may include:
  - Personality profile
  - Skills identification
  - Gender, age, language, and racial requirements
  - Level of education, career interests, motivation for volunteering, and academic standing
- Successful completion of pre-match training and orientation
A readiness and training curriculum for all mentors and participants that includes:
- Qualified staff trainers
- Orientation to the program and resource network, including information and referral, other supportive services, and schools
- Skills development as appropriate
- Cultural/heritage sensitivity and appreciation training
- Guidelines for participants on how to get the most out of the mentoring relationship
- Do's and don'ts of relationship management
- Job and role descriptions
- Confidentiality and liability information
- Crisis management/problem solving resources
- Communication skills development
- Ongoing sessions as necessary
A matching strategy that includes:

A link with the program's statement of purpose
A commitment to consistency
A grounding in the program's eligibility criteria
A rationale for the selection of this particular matching strategy from the wide range of available models
Appropriate criteria for matches, including some or all of the following: gender, age, language requirements, availability, needs, interests, preferences of volunteer and participant, life experience, temperament
A signed statement of understanding that both parties agree to the conditions of the match and the mentoring relationship
Pre-match social activities between mentor and participant pools
Team building activities to reduce anxiety of the first meeting

A monitoring process that includes:

Consistent, scheduled meetings with staff, mentors, and participants
A tracking system for ongoing assessment
Written records
Input from community partners, family and significant others
A process for managing grievances, praise, re-matching, interpersonal problem solving, and premature relationship closure

A support, recognition, and retention component that includes:
- A formal kick-off event
- Ongoing peer support groups for volunteers, participants, and others
- Ongoing training and development
- Relevant issue discussion and information dissemination
- Networking with appropriate organizations
- Social gatherings of different groups as needed
- Annual recognition and appreciation event
- Newsletters or other mailings to participants, mentors, supporters, and funders
Closure steps that include:

Private and confidential exit interviews to debrief the mentoring relationship between:

Participant and staff
Mentor and staff
Mentor and participant without staff

Clearly stated policy for future contacts
Assistance for participants in defining next steps for achieving personal goals

An evaluation process based on:

Outcome analysis of program and relationship
Program criteria and statement of purpose
Information needs of board, funders, community partners, and other supporters of the program

Context

Several types of mentoring programs exist:

Community-based models, such as Big Brothers/Big Sisters, allow mentors and mentees to spend time together doing activities in the community, such as going to the park, visiting a local university, or attending a sporting event.
School-based mentoring takes place in a school setting where mentors and mentees may have lunch together, work on school projects or homework, or play games.
Site-based mentoring is similar to school-based mentoring; mentors and mentees meet at a specific site, such as a YMCA or Boys and Girls Club, and share activities.
E-mentoring is a relatively new model in which a mentoring relationship is conducted via the Internet.
Other models include faith-based, group, and workplace mentoring.

Outcome

Research shows that offering young people mentoring relationships with caring adults increases the likelihood that they will successfully complete school. Mentors can give young people who are struggling the extra encouragement and support that may help them choose to stay in school, raise their achievement levels, and graduate.

Evidence

Research conducted by Private/Public Ventures (P/PV, 2000) found that youth who are successfully matched with an adult are 52 percent less likely to skip school, earn slightly higher grades, and feel better about how they are doing in school.

Posted On

February 28, 2003

For More Information

Resources

Starting a Mentoring Program (50 KB)
Evaluation Management Training, Inc. (2002)

School Based Mentoring: A First Look into Its Potential explores the strengths, challenges, and potential contributions of school-based mentoring
www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/publications_description.asp?search_id=7&publication_id=35

Mentoring in Schools examines the ways in which mentoring can help create a healthier learning environment.
www.nationalserviceresources.org/filemanager/download/MentorSchool_DeptEd.pdf (140 Kb)

Mentoring School-Age Children: Relationship Development in Community-Based and School-Based Programs
www.ppv.org/ppv/publications/publications_description.asp?search_id=19&publication_id=34

Group Mentoring
http://www.mentoring.org/access_research/group/