INCREASED GEOGRAPHIC MOBILITY, the lack of organized youth activities in poor neighborhoods, and the rise of single-parent families and families with two working parents have all reduced the number of adult role models (Sipe*). Today, twenty-five percent of children live with a single parent, and over one-half of children will live with only one parent before they are eighteen years old (Tierney, Grossman and Research NL*). Youth mentoring programs exist to provide these role models and help a child develop socially and emotionally. Mentors help kids learn to understand and communicate their feelings, to relate to their peers, and to develop relationships with other adults. Increasingly popular, by 2002 there were over 1,700 child mentoring groups registered with the National Mentoring Database (DuBois et al.*).

We also know more about strategies that make youth mentoring programs work. This research is important, because ineffective mentoring programs can do real harm to adolescent youth (Grossman and Rhodes*). The following strategies are associated with successful mentoring.

Youth mentoring program strategies

	Youth mentoring works best when goals focus on developing trusting relationships with peers and adults. Programs with solely behavioral goals, such as achieving better grades or resisting drug use, are less successful (Herrera, Sipe, and McClanahan*). Even one of the most successful mentoring programs, Big Brothers/Big Sisters, has only a modest effect on grades and school attendance (Tierney, Grossman, and Research NL*). Mentoring programs should try to help a child develop socially, because social skills benefit the child in other areas of his or her life.
	Parental involvement is also a beneficial goal. If possible, mentoring programs should try to get parents involved in a way that does not threaten the youth-parent relationship (Johnson 1998*; Barron-McKeagney, Woody, and D’Souza*).
	Programs should match mentors and youth on the basis of shared interests and youth, mentor, and family preference (Tierney, Grossman, and Research NL 2000*; DuBois et al.*). There is no perfect method to matching a mentor and youth, but the age, gender, and education of the volunteer matter much less than his or her outlook on mentoring. Mentors who are “results-oriented” and have behavioral goals for children, such as quitting drinking, are less successful than “process-oriented” mentors who want to build trust and become a friend and confidant of a child (Johnson*; Herrera, Sipe and McClanahan*).
	The most successful mentor-youth relationships exist for at least a year, with meetings of at least an hour a week (Tierney, Grossman, and Research NL*; Grossman and Rhodes*; Herrera, Sipe, and McClanahan*; Royse*). The mentor should always assume he or she will initiate contact, because youth are not likely to initiate contact on their own (Morrow and Styles*; Johnson*).
	Mentoring sessions should involve structured activities (DuBois et al.*), and mentors and youth should be equals in planning sessions. Social and academic activities, such as going to lunch, attending sporting events, or visiting museums, are best (Morrow and Styles*; Herrera, Sipe and McClanahan*).

Volunteer mentor strategies

	Mentoring programs should screen volunteers thoroughly, both in terms of safety and suitability for mentoring. Volunteers should complete a written application and in-person interview, and provide references. The program should check that the volunteer does not have a criminal record (Tierney, Grossman, and Research NL*; Grossman and Furano*; Herrera, Sipe and McClanahan*).
	Volunteers also need to be screened for their outlook on the mentoring process. The most suitable mentors see their goal as supporting the child and helping him foster positive relationships in his life, rather than simply achieving good grades or staying out of trouble. They are willing to allow the child to make decisions about activities or lessons, and to refrain from being too judgmental or “preachy.” Overall, they should see their role as a trusted friend rather than as a teacher (Tierney, Grossman, and Research NL*; Grossman and Furano*; Morrow and Styles*).
	Volunteers should receive more than two hours of training before they begin mentoring (Herrera, Sipe and McClanahan*, DuBois et al.*). Training should emphasize building a trusting relationship with the child, and provide the mentor with general information about youth development, as well as specific information about the youth in the program (Morrow and Styles*). The program should also give the mentor strategies for coping with a child who will test the limits and patience of a mentor (Tierney, Grossman, and Research NL*).
	Programs should also support mentors throughout the process. If possible, youth mentoring programs should have a staff member committed solely to mentor development, who will contact the mentor at least once a month. Staff can also assist mentors more directly through writing lesson plans or suggesting activities. Mentors do their best work when their effort is focused on the mentor-child relationship rather than on logistics or administration (Herrera, Sipe and McClanahan*). Overall, mentors who are screened, trained, and supported properly are likely to stick with mentoring and have a positive impact on youth.

YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM RESOURCES:
PUBLICATION FINDER

	Making The Most of Volunteers Jean B. Grossman and Kathryn Furano A literature review, based primarily on their study of Big Brothers/Big Sisters, of the most successful techniques to choose and train volunteers, detailing specific strategies to screen, train, and support mentors. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 2002.
	Mentoring School-Age Children: Relationship Development in Community-Based and School-Based Programs Carla Herrera, Cynthia L. Sipe, and Wendy S. McClanahan A study of both school-based and community-based mentoring programs. The authors surveyed 669 school-based and 346 community-based mentors from thirty-seven programs. They outline several factors that are associated with increases in the quality of the relationships between mentor and child. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 2000.
	Mentoring: A Promising Strategy for Youth Development (PDF) Susan M. Jekielek, Kristen A. Moore, Elizabeth C. Hair, and Harriet J. Scarupa An excellent summary of the impacts of mentoring programs and effective program strategies. Also includes recommendations. Washington, D.C.: Child Trends, 2002.
	Contemporary Issues in Mentoring Jean B. Grossman A detailed and highly readable examination of the practice, quality, and cost of mentoring. The chapter, “Mentoring Adolescents: What We Have Learned” is particularly useful for program staff. Philadelphia: Public/Private Ventures, 2000.
	Foundations of Successful Youth Mentoring: A Guidebook for Program Development (PDF) Michael Garringer Written for both administrative and program staff, this guidebook focuses on five core components of successful mentoring programs: strong agency capacity, proven program design, effective community partnerships, sustainable resource development, and useful program evaluation. It also includes checklists for gauging programs, a reading list, and a timeline for new mentoring programs. Portland, OR: National Mentoring Center, 2003.

YOUTH MENTORING PROGRAM RESOURCES:
WEB SITE FINDER

	Public/Private Ventures P/PV is an action-based research, public policy, and program development organization. A leader in evaluation of mentoring programs, its web site contains over twenty reports and technical assistance packets on program impact, development, and support.
	Child Trends Child Trends is a nonprofit, nonpartisan children’s research organization. The youth development section contains research briefs on the impact of mentoring.
	National Mentoring Center A project of the Northwest Regional Educational Laboratory, the National Mentoring Center provides training and technical assistance to mentoring programs. Their training curriculum, technical assistance packets, and other resources are downloadable from the web site.