Research in Action Series

Mentoring: A Key Resource for Promoting Positive Youth Development

Overview of Research in Action Series

• MENTOR has developed an innovative series - Research in Action

• Translates the latest research on mentoring into tangible strategies for mentoring practitioners.

• Makes the best available research accessible and relevant to the mentoring field.  

• Using the Research in Action series, programs can ensure their practices are based on current research, resulting in improved services and better impacts for young people.

• 10 issues

• Each issue provides:  – Research– Action – Resources

Overview of Research in Action Series

Research in Action Issues:

1. Mentoring: A Key Resource for Promoting Positive Youth Development

2. Effectiveness of Mentoring Program Practices3. Program Staff in Youth Mentoring Programs:

Qualifications, Training, and Retention4. Fostering Close and Effective Relationships in Youth

Mentoring Programs5. Why Youth Mentoring Relationships End6. School-Based Mentoring7. Cross-Age Peer Mentoring8. Mentoring Across Generations: Engaging 50+ Adults

as Mentors9. Youth Mentoring: Do Race and Ethnicity Really

Matter?10. Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of

Prisoners

Mentor Michigan Webinar Series

• www.mentormichigan.org

• Click on “Training & Technical Assistance”

Issue 1: Mentoring: A Key Resource for Promoting Positive Youth Development

• Richard M. Lerner, Ph.D., Aerika S. Brittian, and Kristen E. Fay, Tufts University

• Issue available for free download at MENTOR’s website– www.mentoring.org– “Access Research” Tab Research in

Action

Issue 1 – Overview

• Introduction to the positive youth development (PYD) perspective

• Implications for Mentors– C’s of PYD

• Research Conclusions

• ACTION Section

• Resources

Positive Youth Development (PYD)

• Two key ideas:– All young people possess strengths– Positive youth development may be

promoted when youth strengths are aligned with the strengths present in their families, communities, and schools

Four Ecological Assets that Promote PYD

1. The individuals in young people’s lives

2. The institutions present in their community

3. Opportunities for youth and adults to work together in valued community activities

4. Access to these people and institutions

Most Important Asset: Mentors

• Assets can be identified in any setting within which youth live and develop—families, schools, and communities

• The presence of mentors is the most important asset for PYD that exists in communities

• Mentoring Capacity of youth to engage in high-quality social relationships, to have greater academic achievement, school engagement, school adjustment, and to view their futures more positively

“Big 3” Features of Youth Development Programs

1. Sustained, positive adult-youth relations

2. Youth life-skill building activities

3. Youth participation and leadership of valued community activities.

PYDYouth

Contributions

Competence Connection

Confidence

Character

Caring

EffectiveCommunity-Based

Youth DevelopmentPrograms

Sustained Youth-AdultPartnerships

Youth Leadership

Skill-BuildingActivities

Youth Development: The Big Three Features and the Five Cs

Implications For Mentors

• Interactions with mentees should reflect the Big 3

• Assure youth gain access to four key ecological assets in their communities

• Help to develop each of the Cs of positive youth development

The Five Cs

• Competence

• Confidence

• Connection

• Character

• Caring

• And sometimes… Contribution

Competence

• Support your mentee’s passions and activities

• Encourage your mentee to pursue interests, activities, or hobbies that emphasize their skills

• Help your mentee “transfer” their skills

• Involve your mentee in making decisions

• Turn mistakes into teachable moments

Confidence

• Help the mentee develop a team of supporters

• Share your experiences

• Be on the lookout for obstacles that may challenge their confidence

• Connect the mentee to people and organizations to build social capital (networking)

Connection

• Be respectful of the mentee’s privacy, while still working to get to know them

• Create opportunities for the mentee to have their voice heard in the community

Character

• Discuss and explain why some behaviors are unacceptable

• Model good behaviors

• Provide a sense of perspective

• Provide opportunities for the mentee to make their own decisions

Caring

• Hang back when the mentee is not receptive and wait for an opportunity to talk and respond

• Model caring in interactions with their mentee and in the community

• Encourage mentees to join organization and promote caring and social justice in the world around them

Contribution

• Encourage mentees to advocate for causes

• Encourage people and institutions to welcome youth participation

• Provide support and resources to help mentees succeed

• Allow the mentee to experience and learn from disappointment

Conclusions from Research

• Effective mentoring is an important developmental asset

• You can facilitate the development of the several key indicators of positive youth development

• Within “Big 3” features of YD programs, you have many possible actions to take to foster positive youth development

ACTION:Incorporating PYD Principals

• Mentors need to learn the general principals of positive youth development

• Program staff should provide practical activities and advice to support mentors in their efforts– Activity Cards– Reflection Sheet

Activity Cards

• Photocopy and share with mentors

• Leave room to add additional ideas

Mentor Reflection Sheet

• Provides an opportunity to reflect on activities and conversations that fostered the six Cs

• Let mentors know that each thing they list is providing their mentee with access to more assets

National Clearinghouse on Families and Youth (NCFY)

Free information service for communities, organizations, and individuals interested in developing new and effective strategies for supporting young people and their families.

Online Training:“Introduction to Positive Youth Development”

www.ncfy.com/pyd

National organization that provides training and technical assistance to youth mentoring programs– http://educationnorthwest.org/nmc– Understanding the Youth Development

Model– Putting Youth Development Principles to

Work in Mentoring Programs– A Mentor’s Guide to Youth Development

Education Northwest: National Mentoring Center

Resources: Search Institute

Provides leadership, information, and resources to promote positive healthy development of youth.

• The 40 Developmental Assets for Youth

www.search-institute.org/assets

Questions or Comments?

This presentation provides an overview

of Research in Action Issue 1: Mentoring: A Key Resource for

Promoting Positive Youth Development

This tool was produced by MENTOR/The National Mentoring

Partnership and can be accessed on their website:

www.mentoring.org