Archived: Running the Program

A r c h i v e d I n f o r m a t i o n

Yes, You Can: A Guide for Establishing Mentoring Programs to Prepare Youth for College--October 1998

Guidelines for Mentoring Programs (cont'd)

Running the Program

Matching Mentors with Young People

After the mentors have been prepared for their roles, each is matched with a young person. The program staff who conducted the interviews commonly meet to decide who should be paired with whom. Decisions tend to be based on similarities between the mentor and child, such as--

gender and race;
shared background or experience;
a relationship between the mentor's area of expertise and the child's interests and needs;
the likelihood that the pair will be personally compatible;
approval of the parents, especially for school-age children; and
the similarity of schedules, so the pair can meet regularly.

Although the majority of programs do match on similarities, a number of programs do not. Many such programs have reported successful outcomes regardless of whether the mentors and students are of different backgrounds and races. These relationships allow for a growth experience, letting each participant share something from another culture and background. Program staff found that healthy relationships were formed as long as the mentors were prepared for cultural differences; genuinely liked and respected children; and were stable, empathetic, and nonjudgmental persons.

Although most programs match mentors and young people on the basis of gender, there is no conclusive research-based evidence to support this practice. However, if the program serves a special population--such as pregnant teens, teenage mothers, disabled children, or males from female-led households--a same-sex mentor is typically preferred.

Some programs let students select their own mentors. Matching usually occurs after about four weeks into the program. Programs that use this approach report that it appears to work very well for both the mentors and the students. Other programs, however, have found this practice difficult and time consuming and prefer to let the staff do the matching.

Keeping Track of the Relationship

Mentors should maintain a record of progress in their relationship with their students. The record can be in the form of a diary, a log book, or notes. This information should include--

the length of each meeting;
a note about any meeting that was canceled, whether by the mentor or student;
what was worked on or discussed at each meeting;
location of the meeting;
anything significant that happened at the meeting;
indications of progress or improvement; and
changes in behavior and attitude, if any.

Especially in a long-term relationship, the mentor can use this information to check on the progress made. Information of this type will also help the mentor discuss the student's progress when meeting with the supervisor. In addition, at the end of the program, the information can be used to evaluate how successful the program was in meeting its goals and objectives.

Other individuals who are involved in the program or in regular contact with the student can also play an important role in keeping track of the relationship. Program staff, teachers, and guidance counselors can detect changes in a student's behavior and attitude, identify new situations in a student's life, and provide extra assistance. Throughout the relationship, program staff should be available to provide guidance and assistance to the mentors, including referrals to social service agencies.

Getting Off to a Running Start: The Task-Based Approach to Mentoring

Many programs have found that mentoring relationships can develop more smoothly when they are initially centered around a well-defined task for the mentor-student pair to work on (Freedman, 1996). For example, in the HP E-mail mentoring program, students may be assigned to work on a science fair project, a mathematics problem set, or another activity in which their new mentor has particular knowledge or expertise. Having a clear goal and project to initially focus on gives the relationship time to develop more naturally and takes pressure off the mentor and student as they are able to get to know each other more informally and naturally. Beginning the mentoring relationship around a task is also a good way to establish that the mentoring is a part of, and integrated with, regular schoolwork.

Working with Parents

Parental support is an important ingredient in mentoring programs, and successful programs make an effort to get parents involved early on. Parents of minors should be required to sign a consent form in order for their children to participate. In addition, parents of minors must have the opportunity to disapprove any mentor they believe would not be good for their children.

Some parents do not want their children involved in an exclusive relationship with an adult other than themselves, and some parents are afraid that the mentors will try to take the parents' place or usurp their authority. It is important that parents understand the limitations of the mentor's role. Good programs are aware of the concerns that parents may have and try to allay those fears by explaining the program to them in training or orientation sessions. At the sessions:

Program staff should discuss the nature of the program and review the major goals. Short- and long-term objectives should be discussed, so that parents may see how the program will benefit their children.
Parents should receive materials and handouts similar to those the mentors receive at their training sessions.
Program staff should tell the parents how important their participation is to the success of the program. Parents should be asked to make sure that their children keep their appointments with the mentors, review projects that have been done, and generally encourage their children to stay in the program.
Parents should be informed of things they can do to help acheive the program's goals, such as helping their child with homework, or discussing college or future careers.
Mentors should attend the sessions for parents so that they can meet the parents and discuss what they hope to accomplish. These sessions provide an excellent opportunity for the mentors to reassure parents that they are not trying to take the parents' place or to impose values on the children, but are providing a specific service.
A staff person should give the parents the name and phone number of the mentor's supervisor or another contact person.

Here are some other ways to get parents involved:

Form a parent advisory council to let parents help the program staff make decisions and establish policies affecting the program.
Schedule activities with parents during the course of the program. These can be in the form of informal get-togethers at a local restaurant, recognition dinners for the mentors, and lunches or dinners sponsored by the program staff for the children participating in the program.
Sponsor informal workshops on a specific problem common to young people.
Encourage--or require--mentors to meet with parents regularly, or keep parents informed about the program by sending out newsletters or by having the mentor or a staff member call to share the child's accomplishments.

Keeping Mentors in the Program

The best programs are aware of the difficulties involved in a one-on-one mentoring relationship. For the relationship to grow, the mentor must win the trust and respect of the young person. The mentor's dedication, patience, understanding, and empathy have to be apparent to the child for a bond to form. As is true of any friendship, time is required for two persons to get to know, trust, and like each other.

However, forming these bonds is not always easy. Mentors who work with troubled children may initially encounter mistrust, or even hostility. Programs should have a well-articulated support system, including meetings with program staff and other mentors, to prevent mentors from becoming overly frustrated or discouraged.

Good programs work hard to retain their mentors. Carefully planned, these programs are designed to give mentors the support and recognition they deserve. Here are some strategies that can be used to reward mentors and to help prevent them from dropping out:

Hold regular meetings between mentors and supervisors. Mentors should discuss any problems they may encounter in dealing with their student and any misgivings about the relationship with the supervisor and other staff members. These meetings can also be especially rewarding when the supervisor can show how the mentors have helped the children--such as improvement in test scores and attendance, or if teachers have reported a noticeable change in attitude.

Conduct ongoing training. As the relationship develops, there is always a need for additional training. Program staff should conduct workshops and provide books, magazine articles, and documentaries about mentor programs. Problems that have developed and possible remedies should be discussed as necessary.

Sponsor mentor panels. It is important for all the mentors to meet together regularly to exchange information and discuss how they have handled problems that have come up in their relationships. Due to their shared experiences, mentors can be an especially strong source of support for one another.

Hold public recognition ceremonies. Ceremonies can be in the form of testimonial dinners, to which local dignitaries are invited, along with the sponsors of the program. Local TV and radio stations can interview mentors, and schools can hold an awards assembly in their honor.

Publish a monthly newsletter. Many large mentoring programs publish their own newsletters featuring program news and events, profiles of mentors and students, as well as student success stories. Documenting the students? accomplishments may serve as an inspiration to the mentors as well as the staff and sponsors of the program. Regular newsletters can also help to form a sense of community among everyone involved in the program.

Gain the support of parents. When parents actively support the mentoring relationship, their children are more likely to be motivated to participate and excited about being in the program. Mentors may become discouraged if the parents are not on their side. Good programs try to get as much parental support as possible.

Dealing with Obstacles to Success

In any one-on-one personal relationship, things do not always go as planned or expected, and mentoring relationships are no exception. Personality clashes, misunderstandings, crossed signals, and lack of direction are all factors that may make for a less-than-satisfactory relationship. Even in the most carefully planned programs, obstacles to success occur. However, many mentoring programs have found solutions through trial and error. The main thing is for mentors and their supervisors to be aware that a problem exists so that it can be remedied quickly. The following list of obstacles to success is based on anecdotal accounts from existing mentoring programs:

A "bad" match. No matter how carefully planned and screened, mismatches do occur. Some relationships are just not meant to be. Many programs have found that if, after three to four weeks, a good relationship has not begun to form, the mentor should approach the supervisor to discuss the possible need for reassignment.

Communication problems. Mentors who do not receive adequate training on effective ways to listen and communicate with young people can become confused and misinterpret signals provided by the young person. Mentors must be aware of how young people use body language, make eye contact, and provide feedback. Timing is important; mentors should know when it is their turn to listen.
Serious problems requiring immediate help from a supervisor. Program planners should warn mentors about problems exhibited by the young person for which they should seek immediate help--for example, violent behavior, drug use, extreme depression, or suicide threats.

Unrealistic expectations by each person. Unrealistic expectations can be avoided if both the mentor and the student are thoroughly briefed before entering into a relationship. It is important for the young person to understand the limits of the mentor-student relationship. At the same time, the mentor must be aware that building a solid relationship takes a long time.

Problems in taking the initiative. Sometimes mentors are not sure who should take the initiative in making appointments and calling on the telephone. In one mentoring program, the young people were initially expected to contact the mentors, but program planners later realized that is was too much to expect the students to take the initiative. The participants were shy and uncertain about contacting an adult, especially early in the program. In the beginning at least, it is best for the mentor to a take the initiative in setting up meetings and arranging activities.

Problems in selecting the right meeting place. Some places are not conducive to meeting with children. A program that focused on career education discovered that some young participants were intimidated by meeting their mentors in their regular offices. As a result, program planners decided to set aside a special meeting room in the workplace. The "mentor center" is a comfortable, informal room with couches and chairs, which proved much more inviting to the children.

Problems in ending the relationship. Even though mentoring programs can be very long term, eventually they end. It is important that the student be prepared to have the relationship end. The mentor should give careful thought to the best way of ending the relationship. The supervisor and other mentors can provide guidance.

Critical Components:
The National Mentoring Partnership's
Elements of a Responsible Mentoring Program

The National Mentoring Partnership serves as an advocate for the expansion of mentoring and a clearinghouse for information for mentors nationwide. As part of its mission to increase the availability of responsible mentoring for youth, the Partnership has compiled information on effective practices in mentoring programs, including the "nuts and bolts" checklist which appears in the Resources section of this book, and the components of a responsible mentoring program below. More information is available by contacting the Partnership.

According to the National Mentoring Partnership, a responsible mentoring program requires:

A well-defined mission and established operating principles.
Regular, consistent contact between the mentor and the participant.
Support by the family or guardian of the participant.
Additional community support services.
An established organization of oversight.
Adherence to general principles of volunteerism.
Paid or volunteer staff with appropriate skills.
Written job descriptions for all staff and volunteer positions.
Adherence to Equal Employment Opportunities requirements.
Inclusiveness of racial, economic and gender representation as appropriate to the program.
Adequate financial and in-kind resources.
Written administrative and program procedures.
Written eligibility requirements for program participants.
Program evaluation and ongoing assessment.
A long-range plan that has community input.
Risk management and confidentiality policies.
Use of generally accepted accounting practices.
A prudent and reasonable rationale for staffing requirements that are based on:

organization's statement of purpose and goals,
needs of mentors and participants,
community resources, and
staff and other volunteers' skill level.

Evaluating the Program

Evaluation is an essential component of all successful programs. Evaluations help a program to know whether it has met its objectives and served the needs of the participants, and provide critical feedback that can be used for program revision and improvement. Data collected for evaluations can also be used as positive reinforcement for mentors and can alert program directors and program staff to any problems with program implementation. The best evaluations are ongoing and continuous.

Evaluation plans should be designed at the very beginning of program development. Incorporating evaluation plans into the program design causes planners to think about proposed activities and the ways in which these activities could be assessed as successful or not. Program staff should also be involved in the planning phases of evaluation, so that evaluation is not perceived as threatening, but as an opportunity to further the goals of the program. Staff can also play a vital role in interpreting the findings, as staff will be the most knowledgeable about the actual day-to-day operation of the program.

In general, evaluations use two types of information--"process" and "outcome"--to decide whether a program is successful. Process information lets the program planners know whether the program is being implemented as it was intended to be, and whether changes or mid-course adjustments are needed. It includes answers to the following questions:

How many mentors and students were matched?
For how long were they paired?
Was student attendance adequate? Was mentor attendance adequate?
What was the length of each meeting? Were adequate facilities always available for meeting?
How many mentors left before the program ended? How many students left before the program ended?
What kind of activities did mentors and students participate in?
What types of relationships formed between the mentors and students?

Outcome data allow program planners to keep track of progress and let planners know how well the program has achieved its short- and long-term objectives. The data collected are directly tied to a program's goals and objectives. Examples of outcome data are:

Percentage of homework assignments completed by students in the program.
Increase in school attendance.
Increase in enrollment in and successful completion of college preparatory mathematics courses.
Teacher reports of positive changes in student behavior and attitude.
Reduction in the dropout rate.
Reduction in the number of teen pregnancies.
Enrollment in a postsecondary education program.

Many successful mentoring programs use persons from outside the program to conduct evaluations. Evaluation information is important not only to assess the progress the program has made but also to determine whether students' needs have changed since the program began. Evaluation can also serve a valuable purpose by assuring sponsors that the program really is meeting its goals and objectives and that it merits continued funding.

Success Story:
Intensive One-on-One Mentoring in Big Brothers Big Sisters of America
Reduces Risky Behaviors

In Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, students are matched with carefully selected adult mentors who serve as role models and offer care and support. A comparative study of 959 students who applied to Big Brothers Big Sisters programs in 1992 and 1993 (conducted by Public/Private Ventures) found that after 18 months, students who had been matched with a Big Brother or Big Sister were significantly less likely to engage in several forms of risky behavior than similar students who had been assigned to a waiting list during the same period. The study found that students who had been matched with a Big Brother/Big Sister were:

46 percent less likely to begin using illegal drugs.
27 percent less likely to begin using alcohol.
53 percent less likely to skip school and 37 percent less likely to skip a class.
More confident of their performance in schoolwork.
Less likely to hit someone.
Getting along better with their families and peers.

Big Brothers Big Sisters program participation was also found to have "lowered violent behavior by 33%." The Little Brothers and Little Sisters met with their Big Brothers and Big Sisters for an average of almost 12 months, with meetings about three times per month, lasting about four hours each time. More than 60 percent of the sample were boys, and more than half were members of minority groups, mostly African-Americans. The effects were sustained for both boys and girls, and across races.

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[Guidelines for Mentoring Programs (part 2 of 3)]

[Resources: Additional Profiles of Mentoring Programs]