Mentoring Works! How to Mentoring Works! How to Create a Quality Mentoring Create a Quality Mentoring

Experience for Girls & Experience for Girls & WomenWomen

Girls Girls Coalition of Coalition of Minnesota Minnesota 1919thth Annual Annual ConferenceConference

Presentation LinksPresentation Links Presentation slides can be Presentation slides can be

downloaded later today at: downloaded later today at: www.slideshare.net/traininginstitute

Gaining new insights into mentoring programs for adolescent girls

One is not born a One is not born a woman, one woman, one

becomes one.becomes one. Simone de Beauvoir, French Simone de Beauvoir, French

Author,Author, The Second Sex The Second Sex

In politics if you In politics if you want anything said, want anything said, ask a man. If you ask a man. If you

want anything want anything done, ask a done, ask a

womanwoman.. Margaret Thatcher, British Margaret Thatcher, British

PoliticianPolitician

Creating & Sustaining Creating & Sustaining Formal Mentoring Formal Mentoring Relationships Relationships

Only half of formal mentoring relationships Only half of formal mentoring relationships last beyond a few monthslast beyond a few months

Rhodes, 2002Rhodes, 2002

Early termination rate is even higher Early termination rate is even higher among more vulnerable youth among more vulnerable youth

Grossman & Rhodes, 2002Grossman & Rhodes, 2002

When relationships end within the first few When relationships end within the first few months, they have potential to do harmmonths, they have potential to do harm

Grossman & Rhodes, 2002; Karcher, 2005Grossman & Rhodes, 2002; Karcher, 2005

Why Do Youth Mentoring Why Do Youth Mentoring Relationships End?Relationships End? Youth & mentor characteristicsYouth & mentor characteristics Relationship processesRelationship processes Program factorsProgram factors Other factorsOther factors

Youth & Mentor Youth & Mentor CharacteristicsCharacteristics

Age of young person at time of Age of young person at time of matchmatch

Youth risk statusYouth risk status Gender Gender Volunteer income, age, marital Volunteer income, age, marital

statusstatus

Relationship ProcessesRelationship Processes Relationship duration and strengthRelationship duration and strength Sense of closeness or personal Sense of closeness or personal

connectionconnection Matching based on shared interestsMatching based on shared interests Consistency of contactConsistency of contact Mentor’s approachMentor’s approach

Program FactorsProgram Factors Pre-match & ongoing trainingPre-match & ongoing training Staff contactStaff contact Resources & spaceResources & space Summer ContactSummer Contact

In one study of both school- and community-based mentoring programs, mentors who received fewer than two hours of training reported the lowest levels of closeness and support in their relationships with youth, whereas mentors who received more than six hours of pre-match training and orientation tended to spend more time with protégés and also reported higher levels of closeness.

Diversity of Diversity of ImpactsImpacts While we talk to funders about While we talk to funders about

the impact mentoring has on the the impact mentoring has on the “average youth,” no youth is “average youth,” no youth is “average”“average”

They differ on:They differ on: Age, gender, race, ethnicityAge, gender, race, ethnicity Family characteristicsFamily characteristics Past experiencePast experience Their stage of developmentTheir stage of development

Dr. Jean Grossman, Senior Vice President for Research at Public/Private Ventures (P/PV)

PopulationPopulationOutcomeOutcome

OverallOverall BoysBoys GirlsGirls Minority Minority BoysBoys

Minority Minority GirlsGirls

WhiteWhiteBoysBoys

White White GirlsGirls

Initiate Initiate Drug Drug UseUse

XX XX X X XX

Initiate Initiate Alcohol UseAlcohol Use

XX XX

Hit OthersHit Others XX XX (x)(x) XX

Self-Self-Reported Reported GradesGrades

XX XX XX

Skip a Day Skip a Day of Schoolof School

XX XX XX X X

Social Social AcceptanceAcceptance XX

Parental Parental RelationshipRelationship XX X X XX

SUMMARY OF IMPACT FINDINGS BY SUBGROUP

Dr. Jean Grossman, Senior Vice President for Research at Public/Private Ventures (P/PV)

““She Gives Me a Break From She Gives Me a Break From the World” the World” Renee Spencer, Boston University; Belle Renee Spencer, Boston University; Belle Liang, Boston CollegeLiang, Boston College

Two-way streetTwo-way street Importance of shared activities, Importance of shared activities,

emotional support, companionshipemotional support, companionship Cautions programs serving girls Cautions programs serving girls

against prioritizing emotional support against prioritizing emotional support over skill-buildingover skill-building

National Mentoring National Mentoring PartnershipPartnership Leading the movement to close the Leading the movement to close the

“mentoring gap”“mentoring gap” Premier advocate and resource for Premier advocate and resource for

expanding quality mentoring initiativesexpanding quality mentoring initiatives Works with state partnerships to leverage Works with state partnerships to leverage

resources, provide technical expertise for resources, provide technical expertise for mentoring programsmentoring programs

The Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota (MPM) The Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota (MPM) connects adults & youth with the power of connects adults & youth with the power of mentoring mentoring

Our primary focus is to expand the capacity and Our primary focus is to expand the capacity and increase the qualityincrease the quality of mentoring across MN of mentoring across MN

Throughout Minnesota, we work with more than Throughout Minnesota, we work with more than 500 youth mentoring programs500 youth mentoring programs

Professional DevelopmentProfessional Development Participant TrainingParticipant Training Program DevelopmentProgram Development Quality MeasurementQuality Measurement

Elements of Effective Elements of Effective PracticePractice

Youth mentoring programs Youth mentoring programs are more successful when they are more successful when they follow proven, effective follow proven, effective mentoring practices and mentoring practices and strategiesstrategies

Revised in 2003, the Revised in 2003, the Elements, Elements, 22ndnd edition, edition, are are guidelines for running safe and guidelines for running safe and effective mentoring programs.effective mentoring programs.

““How to Build a Successful Mentoring How to Build a Successful Mentoring Program Using theProgram Using the Elements of Effective Elements of Effective

Practice”Practice”

The companion Tool Kit for the Elements (with CD)

Program Design and Program Design and PlanningPlanning

Program Program ManagementManagement

Program OperationsProgram Operations Program EvaluationProgram Evaluation

Mentoring - DefinedMentoring - Defined

MentoringMentoring is a structured and is a structured and trusting relationship that brings trusting relationship that brings young people together with caring young people together with caring individuals who offer guidance, individuals who offer guidance, support and encouragement aimed support and encouragement aimed at developing the competence and at developing the competence and character of the mentee.character of the mentee.

Types of MentoringTypes of Mentoring Traditional Traditional GroupGroup TeamTeam PeerPeer E-mentoringE-mentoring

Locations of MentoringLocations of Mentoring Community settingCommunity setting SchoolSchool Faith-based organizationFaith-based organization WorkplaceWorkplace Virtual communityVirtual community

Duration of MentoringDuration of Mentoring At a minimum, mentors and mentees At a minimum, mentors and mentees

should meet regularly at least four should meet regularly at least four hours per month for at least a year.hours per month for at least a year.

For programs like school-based For programs like school-based mentoring, expectations for duration mentoring, expectations for duration need to be clear to mentees from need to be clear to mentees from outsetoutset

Successful MentoringSuccessful Mentoring Mentoring is not one-size-fits-allMentoring is not one-size-fits-all Most significant predictor of positive Most significant predictor of positive

mentoring results is whether mentors mentoring results is whether mentors and mentees share a close, trusting and mentees share a close, trusting relationshiprelationship

Project Diva is a non-profit organization Project Diva is a non-profit organization designed to instill life skills in young ladies.  designed to instill life skills in young ladies.  Project Diva’s mentors share how having Project Diva’s mentors share how having self-respect leads to making better choices self-respect leads to making better choices through topics of discussion, break-out through topics of discussion, break-out sessions, journaling and speakers that will sessions, journaling and speakers that will prepare them to handle real life situations prepare them to handle real life situations throughout high school and into adulthood.throughout high school and into adulthood.

Diva Temia's Tel.A.VisionDiva Temia's Tel.A.Vision

Girls Empowerment ProjectGirls Empowerment Project The purpose of the Girls Empowerment The purpose of the Girls Empowerment

Project is to develop healthy self images Project is to develop healthy self images and teach life skills to girls as they grow to and teach life skills to girls as they grow to be future leaders. Through group be future leaders. Through group mentoring circles, this project strives to mentoring circles, this project strives to empower girls by giving them an avenue empower girls by giving them an avenue to articulate their opinions, values and to articulate their opinions, values and beliefs in a positive way. beliefs in a positive way.

GEP Tel.A.Vision VideoGEP Tel.A.Vision Video

YouthCare: Young Women’s YouthCare: Young Women’s Mentoring ProgramMentoring Program The Young Women's Mentoring Program is a year-The Young Women's Mentoring Program is a year-

round youth development program focused on round youth development program focused on building the employment and leadership skills of building the employment and leadership skills of young women and the self-esteem of girls. Program young women and the self-esteem of girls. Program services include work experience, leadership training, services include work experience, leadership training, mentoring, intercultural exchanges, counseling, mentoring, intercultural exchanges, counseling, support and after school, weekend and summer support and after school, weekend and summer activities. The program brings girls together in small activities. The program brings girls together in small and large groups, and one-to-one, to promote and large groups, and one-to-one, to promote intercultural cooperation and cultural appreciation.intercultural cooperation and cultural appreciation.

YouthCare on KARE 11YouthCare on KARE 11

The best thing about being a mentor is learning new things and then going to my mentees and teaching them what I've learned.

LaTishia, YWMP Alumni Youth MentorLaTishia, YWMP Alumni Youth Mentor

How important it is How important it is for us to recognize for us to recognize and celebrate our and celebrate our heroes and she-heroes and she-

roes!roes! Maya Angelou, African American Maya Angelou, African American

PoetPoet