Research in Action Series

Program Staff in Youth Mentoring Programs: Qualifications, Training, and Retention

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 Development2. 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 3: Program Staff in Youth Mentoring Organizations

• Thomas E. Keller, Ph.D., Portland State University

• Download this issue by visiting http://www.mentoring.org/downloads/mentoring_384.pdf

Issue 3 - Overview

• Introduction

• Research– Staff Qualifications– Staff Training– Staff Retention

• Action– Checklists

• Resources

Staff Contributions to Program

• Design program models

• Support relationships

• Form relationships with participants

• Model attributes desired in mentors

• Implement program policies and procedures

Many Hats - Mentor Program Staff

Direct service

Volunteer managers

Case managers

Mentoring Programs: Parallel Fields

Nature of

WorkChild Welfare

Workers

Nature of

Workforce

Youth

Development

Staff Qualifications

• BBBS staff position descriptions

• National Afterschool Association Survey

• National Institute on Out-of-School Time Study

Educational Attainment

• Position descriptions – Bachelor’s Degree in a human services field– BBBS Employment Postings

• Staff in After-School Programs:– 67% had a two-year degree or higher– 55% had a four-year degree or higher– Additional 8% had completed a special certificate

or credential– Remaining 24% had a high school diploma

Most common field of study was education

National Institute on Out-of-School Time Study

Higher educationalattainment among program directors

and staff

Higher percentage of staff certified as

teachers

Positive Indicators of Program Quality

Higher staff wages

Staff Training

• Education and training opportunities help programs develop employees with varying qualifications and backgrounds into qualified program staff– Within an organization specific job-

related tasks– General training mentoring field

Transfer of Training to the Workplace

Factors affecting transfer:• Design of training• Trainee characteristics• Work environment characteristics

Barriers to transfer• Lack of managerial and peer support• Time and workload pressures• Resistance to new ideas• Short-term perspectives• Lack of opportunity or responsibility• Performance and reward structures• Organizational politics

Training for Mentor Program Staff

• Annual conferences• Online training sessions (e.g. webinars) • Training tools and resources available online

– Mentor Michigan• www.mentormichigan.org

– MENTOR – The National Mentoring Partnership• www.mentoring.org

– Public/Private Ventures• www.ppv.org

– The National Mentoring Center (NMC)• www.educationnorthwest.org/nmc

Staff Retention

• Staff retention as a priority• Perception of substantial staff turnover

in the field of youth mentoring

Impact of staff turnover:– Monetary– Burden on remaining staff– Disruption in the stability and quality

of services• Effect on the sustainability of matches

maintained by program staff

Factors for Staff Turnover

• Large amounts of time focused on difficult and emotionally charged issues

• Necessity to work evenings and weekends

• Pressures and anxieties associated with child safety issues

• Feelings of role overload and burnout• Emotional exhaustion

Predictors of Staff Retention

• Individual Factors

• Professional Perceptions

• Organizational Factors

Importance of Workplace Climate: – psychological impact of the work environment on

the individual worker– positive climates workers remain in their jobs

longer, demonstrate better attitudes about work, deliver higher-quality services, and achieve better outcomes for children

ARC Intervention Changing Organizational Culture and Workplace Climate

Principle: Translation to youth mentoring:

Mission-driven Motivating staff through the mission of serving youth

Results-oriented Recognizing and acknowledging what works, and what doesn’t

Improvement-directed Providing opportunities for growth, development, and innovation

Relationship-centered Fostering relationships among co-workers

Participation-based Encouraging worker participation in establishing the direction of the program

ARC Intervention Impact

• Caseworkers reported less emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, role conflict and role overload

• Dramatic reduction in staff turnover

Control Group:– 65% left within

one year

Intervention Group:– 39% left within

one year

Conclusions

• Greater attention should be devoted to the recruitment, training and retention of well-qualified and highly competent mentoring professionals.

• Learning more about the impact of staff in youth mentoring could guide the mentoring movement and ultimately improve the quality and quantity of services provided to young people.

Program Staff: Keys to Successful Mentoring

Staff Qualifications

Staff RetentionStaff Training

Mentoring Program Success

Staff Qualifications

Mentoring programs should hire staff who possess:

A strong commitment to the program’s mission

Strong interpersonal skills

The ability to role model behaviors for mentors

Previous experience in youth development work

Excellent written and oral communications skills

A degree in a field related to mentoring

A solid history of continuous employment

Staff Training

Mentoring programs should offer staff: An orientation to the program and work environment

Initial training on specific duties

An overview of research on the effectiveness and best

practices of mentoring

Training on positive youth development strategies

Opportunities to transfer knowledge from training into action

An individual professional development plan

Supervisory skills training

A role in evaluating the effectiveness of training received

Staff Retention

Mentoring programs should: Create a positive workplace climate

Understand and address the causes of staff turnover

Ensure that staff are recognized for high-quality work

Provide a framework for success

Budget appropriately to compensate high-quality staff

Provide access to internal and external mentors/coaches for

staff

General Organizational Practices

Develop: Policy and procedure

manual Understanding of

employment law Thorough job

descriptions Interview protocols New employee

handbook Evaluation of efforts

Conduct: Job analysis of each

position Background screening Assessment of barriers Assessment of

organizational culture Analysis of structures

and policies Regular performance

reviews

MENTOR

• The leader in expanding the power of mentoring to millions of young Americans who want and need adult mentors.

• Staff Development Section– http://www.mentoring.org/

start_a_program/management/staff_development/ Finding Qualified StaffFinding a Program Coordinator

National Youth Development Information Center

• Provides information and resources to youth workers about programming, policy, research, and training related to promoting positive youth development opportunities.– www.nydic.org

• Recognition and Rewards for Youth Development Workers

U.S. Department of Labor

Federal government agency with information and resources on employment.

– http://www.dol.gov/

– Information about employment laws for organizations • www.dol.gov/compliance/guide/index.htm

• Provides training and technical assistance to youth mentoring programs.– http://educationnorthwest.org/nmc

• Mentoring Forums – NEW! – http://

mentoringforums.educationnorthwest.org/

National Mentoring Center

This presentation provides an overview of

Research in Action Issue 3: Program Staff in Youth Mentoring Programs: Qualifications,

Training, and Retention

This tool was produced by MENTOR/The National Mentoring Partnership and can be

accessed at http://www.mentoring.org/access_research/research_in

_action/research_in_action_series/