Recommended Best Practices

DEFINITIONS FOR MENTORING

Mentoring is a relationship over a prolonged period of time between two or more people where older, wiser, more experienced individuals provide constant, as needed support, guidance, and concrete help to the younger at-risk persons as they go through life. 

(Rhodes, 2002)

ELEMENTS OF EFFECTIVE MENTORING ORGANIZATIONS

A well-defined mission

The requirement of regular, consistent contact between the mentor and mentee

Established operating policies

Additional community support services

An established organization for oversight

Adherence to general principles of volunteerism, including acquiring expertise on volunteer screening processes

A process for frequent ongoing monitoring of every match

Staff with appropriate skills and qualifications

Written job descriptions for all staff and volunteer positions

Adherence to EEO requirements

Inclusiveness of racial, economic, and gender representation as appropriate to the program

Adequate financial and in-kind resources to attain maximum program quality and effectiveness

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

Staffing structure that is based on the organization’s statement of purpose and goals, the needs of mentors and mentees, and the ability to procure community resources

1.  A Mission Statement and a Long Range Plan that includes:

•The long-range vision of the organization

•A Mission Statement that concisely states who you serve, why you are serving them, expected outcomes for them, and what services will be provided to achieve outcomes

•Shorter-term program goals and action plans that include who, what, when, where, why, and how activities will be performed

•Input from originators, staff, funders, potential volunteers, and participants

•Assessment of community need

•Realistic, attainable, and easy-to-understand operational plan

•Goals, objectives, and timelines for all aspects of the plan

•Funding and resources development plan

2.  A Recruitment Plan for Mentors that includes:

•Strategies that portray accurate expectations and benefits              

•Year round marketing and P.R. activities that target outreach based on participants' needs

•Volunteer opportunities beyond mentoring

•A basis in your program’s statement of purpose and long-range plan

  A Recruitment Plan for Mentees that includes:

•Targeted outreach based on participants' needs

•Coordination with other agencies and institutions working with the mentees

•A basis in your program’s statement of purpose and long-range plan

3.  Customized Orientations for Mentors and Mentees that include:

•Program Overview

•Description of eligibility, screening process, and suitability requirements

•Level of commitment expected (time, energy, and flexibility)

•Expectations and restrictions (accountability)

•Benefits and rewards they can expect

•A summary of program policies, including written reports, interviews, evaluation, and reimbursement

4.  Eligibility Screening/Application Process for Mentors that includes:

•A commitment to put the safety of the children in your program first

•Incorporating current research on child molester profiles into every facet of screening

•Extensive face-to-face interview that covers the potential mentor's life from birth and childhood to present, and encompasses all facets of their life

•Home visit

•Reference checks from friends, family members and colleagues

•Child abuse registry and fingerprinting/criminal record check

•Driving record

•Proof of automobile insurance

•Suitability criteria that relate to the program’s mission statement and needs of the clients; could include some or all of the following:  personality profile; skills identification; gender; age; language; cultural experience; academic history; career; motivation for volunteering; stability in the community

•Assessment of traits proven by research to be conducive to successful mentoring relationships (e.g., flexible, non-judgmental, low expectations, low personal needs)

•Successful completion of pre-match orientation and training

  Eligibility Screening for Mentees that includes:

•An application process for potential client and parents/guardians

•A face-to-face interview

•A home visit and parent/guardian orientation

•Suitability criteria that relate to the program's mission; could include some or all of the following:  gender; age; low academic achievement; family problems; drug/alcohol abuse; and exposure to at-risk behaviors in their communities

•Emphasizing the voluntary aspect of the child's consent and participation

•Parent/guardian consent and support

5.  A Training Curriculum for all Mentors and Mentees that includes:

•Trained staff trainers

•Orientation to program and resource network, including information and referral, other supportive services, and schools

•Skills development as appropriate

•Cultural sensitivity and appreciation training

•Guidelines on how to get the most out of the mentoring relationship

•Relationship building and management

•Job and role descriptions

•Confidentiality and liability information

•Crisis management/problem solving resources

•Communication skills development

•Frequent, ongoing contact by staff to support the relationship building process

•Challenges to help mentors and staff assess their appropriateness for the program

6.  A Matching Strategy that includes:

•A commitment to making high-quality "compatible" matches

•Strict adherence to the program’s eligibility criteria and screening process

•Appropriate criteria for matches, including some or all of the following:  gender; age; language; requirements; availability; needs; interests; preferences of volunteer and participant; life experience; temperament

•Signed statements of understanding that both parties agree to the conditions of the match and the mentoring relationship

•A structured first meeting that includes staff, parent/guardian, mentors, and mentee

7.  A Monitoring Process that includes:

•An ongoing commitment to monitor the relationships established by your organization to ensure the safety of each of your clients; staff should be trained on current research on child molester profiles and methodologies

•Frequent ongoing contact between staff and mentors, as well as staff and mentees

•Consistent scheduled meetings with staff, mentors, and mentees

•Extensive written records on each match, including dates and times they met, activities they participated in and comments of the mentor and mentee about the relationship

•Input from parent/guardian, community partners, and other significant youth professionals in the child's life (e.g. teacher, juvenile probation officer)

•A process for managing grievances, praise, re-matching, interpersonal problem solving, and premature relationship closure

8.  A Support, Recognition, and Retention Component that includes:

•Ongoing training and development, including support groups for volunteers and participants

•Social gatherings of different groups as needed

•Annual recognition and appreciation event

•Newsletters or other mailings to mentors and mentees that recognizes their achievements, disseminates information on relevant issues, and communicates details on program and community activities, events, and resources

9.  Relationship Closure Steps that include:

•Private and confidential exit interviews to de-brief the mentoring relationship between mentor and mentee

•Structure and future program support for the mentor and mentee that have successfully fulfilled program requirements and time commitment

•Policies and procedures for determining the future roles of mentor and mentee in the program if their relationship is terminating before they have fulfilled the program requirements and time commitment

10.  An Evaluation process that includes:

•A Process Evaluation: Extensive, ongoing tracking of program statistics relative to goals that includes: number of matches; number of youth referred; referral source of youth; level of support services and community resources offered; participation in program support services and activities; longevity and success rate of matches; program requirements fulfilled; amount of time spent together; number of contacts by program staff; average waiting time before match.  Data kept should reflect the informational needs of the organization to assess program quality as well as the needs of program donors and supporters to track program progress

•Outcome Evaluation procedures to measure both short-term and long-term outcomes for youth in mentoring relationships, e.g. academic achievement, improvement of school behavior and attendance, pre/post tests with validated measures of changes in self-esteem, self-efficacy, or whatever other outcomes your program is trying to achieve for youth

•A vehicle for the organization to use both process and outcome evaluation data for ongoing, self-renewing change that enriches the organization and its service capacities

Sources: Friends for Youth, Inc., California Governor’s Mentoring Partnership, National Mentoring Working Group

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