Research in Action Series

Cross Age Peer Mentoring

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 7: Cross Age Peer Mentoring

• Michael Karcher, Ed.D., Ph.D., University of Texas at San Antonio

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

Action

Issue 7 - Overview

• Introduction

• Defining Cross-Age Peer Mentoring

• Outcomes

• Characteristics of Effective CAMPs

• Discussion

Introduction

What is the model of your cross-age peer mentoring program?

– How old are mentors/mentees?– Where do they meet?– How often and for how long are they

matched?– One-to-one or group?

Cross-Age Peer Mentoring

• The mentor is usually an older youth, typically high school-aged

• Paired with middle school or elementary-aged child

• Almost always take place at schools• Meet weekly, for duration of school

year• Primarily one-to-one relationships, but

often meetings occur in larger group, with some group-based activities

CAMPs are here to stay

• BBBS High School Bigs comprise nearly ¼ of all matches annually

• CAMPs have elements that are appealing to mentees, mentors, school staff and parents

• Practice has outpaced research leading to under-structured CAMPs

Defining Cross-Age Peer Mentoring

Distinctions

• Structure - tutoring or mentoring?

• Duration

• Focus/Approach

• Cross-age

Table 1: Drawing Distinctions Among Several Peer-to-Peer Interventions

Structured

(e.g. using a curriculum)

Long-term

(lasting more than ten weeks)

Problem-focused or remedial

Cross-age

(difference in grade of two or

more)

One-to-one relationship

format

Peer Mentoring

Sometimes Yes No Yes Yes

Peer Counseling No No Yes

(personal)

Not usually Usually,

but not necessarily

Peer helping; PALs

(Peer Assistance and Leadership)

Yes Not usually Sometimes Yes, usually Both one-to-one and one helper with

multiple youth formats

Peer Mediation Yes No Yes Not usually No, one mediator with two plus peers

Peer Tutoring No No Yes (academic)

Sometimes Usually, but not

necessarily

Benefits for Mentees and Mentors

MENTEES• Attitudes toward

connectedness to school and peers

• Self-efficacy• Grades or academic

achievement• Social skills• Behavior problems• Gains in conventional

attitudes toward illicit and antisocial behavior

MENTORS• Moral reasoning and

empathy• Connection to school• Relate better to parents• Self-esteem• Conflict resolution skills• Organizational skills• Ability to communicate

with children• Responsibility

Who is more effective? Adult mentors or youth mentors?

• The size of the effects on connectedness to school for the three cross-age peer mentoring programs were “large” while the effects for the three adult-with-youth school-based mentoring programs were “small”

• However, across the majority of other outcomes, cross-age mentors did not appear to be more effective than adult mentors

Risks of Cross-Age Mentoring

• Left unstructured, CAMPs run higher risk of causing harm

• Matches should be monitored closely for:– Mentors modeling deviant behavior– Unplanned and unexplained absences– Frustration among overwhelmed mentors

• Matches in which mentors are inconsistent should be quickly “terminated” using a formal process to minimize the negative effects on mentee

Developmental Approach

• Descriptive evaluations of BBBS H.S. Bigs Program found that most matches engage in physical activities, general talking, and crafts or board games.

• In fact, while playing one-on-one games was related to better outcomes, the more the match worked on academics (e.g., tutoring), the less likely they were to be rematched for a second year.

Characteristics of Effective Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Programs

• Mentee orientation – how to best utilize their mentors by seeking out the mentors’ support

• Recruit socially interested youth

• Support to overwhelmed mentors

• Older mentors

Recommendations

• Mentors trained in a developmental approach• Strategically recruit mentors with greater social

interest and less self-interested motivations• Mentors and mentees differ in age by at least two

years, mentors in high school• Programs provide structure but focus clearly on

strengthening relationships• Matches monitored for signs of “deviancy training”• Mentees are taught how best to utilize their mentors

for support• Mentors are required to participate in formal

termination processes

Conclusion

Although there is promise, there remains a great deal to

be learned about the most efficient and effective ways to utilize older peers in mentoring

relationships.

Other Key Considerations:

1. Age Gap

2. Parent Involvement

3. Collaboration and/or Partnerships

4. Cross-age peer mentoring is not “mentoring-lite”

5. Potential to do harm

ACTION

• Part I: Designing a Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Program

• Part II: Implications of Cross-Age Peer Mentoring on Program Practices

Part I: Designing a Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Program

Part I: Designing a Cross-Age Peer Mentoring Program

MENTOR

The leader in expanding the power of mentoring to millions of young Americans who want and need adult mentors.– Mentor/Mentee Termination Ritual– How to Build a Successful Mentoring

Program Using the Elements of Effective Practice

www.mentoring.org

National organization that provides training and technical assistance to youth mentoring programs– http://educationnorthwest.org/nmc– Resources Peer Mentoring Resources

• Building Effective Peer Mentoring Programs In Schools: An Introductory Guide

• Peer Mentoring: Recruiting, Training, and Ensuring Longevity (webinar)

• Peer Mentoring: New Research and Innovative Practice (webinar)

Education Northwest: National Mentoring Center

National Association of Peer Programs– Sponsors conferences and provides

consultation for peer mentoring programs– http://www.peerprograms.org/

Peer Resources – Canadian organization that supports peer

mentoring– http://www.peer.ca/peer.html

Other Resources:

This presentation provides an

overview of Research in Action

Issue 7: Cross-Age Peer Mentoring

This tool was produced by MENTOR/The National Mentoring

Partnership and can be accessed on their website:

www.mentoring.org