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RESEARCH IN ACTION

Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring, 3rd Edition

New Developments in Best Practices for Mentoring

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Research In Action: Overview of Series

Last year, MENTOR released the National Agenda for Action: How to Close America’s Mentoring Gap. Representing the collective wisdom of the mentoring field, the Agenda articulates five key strategies and action items necessary to move the field forward and truly close the mentoring gap. In an effort to address one of these critical strategies—elevating the role of research—MENTOR created the Research and Policy Council, anadvisory group composed of the nation’s leading mentoring researchers, policymakers, and practitioners.

In September 2006, MENTOR convened the first meeting of the Research and Policy Council with the goal of increasing the connection and exchange of ideas among practitioners, policymakers, and researchers to strengthen the practice of youth mentoring. The Research in Action series is the first product to evolve from the work of the Council—taking current mentoring research and translating it into useful, user-friendly materials for mentoring practitioners.

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Research In Action Issues:

Issue 1: Mentoring: A Key Resource for Promoting PYD

Issue 2: Effectiveness of Mentoring Program Practices

Issue 3: Program Staff in Youth Mentoring Programs

Issue 4: Fostering Close and Effective Relationships

Issue 5: Why Youth Mentoring Relationships End

Issue 6: School-Based Mentoring

Issue 7: Cross-Age Peer Mentoring

Issue 8: Mentoring Across Generations: Engaging Age 50+ Adults

Issue 9: Youth Mentoring: Do Race and Ethnicity Really Matter?

Issue 10: Mentoring: A Promising Intervention for Children of Prisoners

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Research In Action: Conclusion of Series

This is the last in MPM’s Research in Action webinar series . We have completed our tour through the RIA Issue briefs, and had some great discussions with researchers and practitioners in our field. We appreciate all the insight that everyone has contributed to these webinars.

We are concluding the series with a look at the new edition of the Elements of Effective Practice – not one of the RIA topics, but perhaps the most definitive example of research in action yet. This revision uses current research on evidence-based practice in the youth mentoring field to provide guidance for mentoring program operation and day-to-day practice.

The webinar series will continue next year, as we shift gears to examine Quality in Action. In January 2010, we will begin highlighting innovative and effective practices found through mentoring research and in the field. Stay connected to MPM for more details on this series – and let us know if you have items for topics or best practices to feature in 2010. 

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• Review Elements of Effective Practice (EEP) model

• Explore new developments in the third edition of the Elements of Effective Practice

• Talk about how these revised standards reflect and inform our day-to-day practice in mentoring programs

Overview

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• Kristi Zappie-Ferradino

• MENTOR - Vice President, Products & Online Services

• Member of the design team that coordinated development of this third edition of the Elements

Special Guest

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• Program Design & Planning– Preparation to launch a program

• Program Management– Guidelines for running the overall program

• Program Operations– Best practices for day to day functions

• Program Evaluation– Assurance that program is safe, effective

and able to meet stated goals

Elements of Effective Practice for Mentoring Programs (v2.0)

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What’s New in the Third Edition?

• Six evidence-based standards addressing: mentor and mentee recruitment; screening; training; matching; monitoring and support; and closure

• Each offers specific research-based benchmarks for daily operations, can be applied to stand-alone mentoring programs and those where mentoring is part of a broader program

• Each also offers enhancements programs can incorporate, based on input of experienced mentoring practitioners

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RecruitmentStandard: Recruit appropriate mentors and mentees by realistically

describing the program’s aims and expected outcomes.Benchmarks:• Mentor Recruitment

– Program engages in recruitment strategies that realistically portray benefits, practices and challenges of mentoring in the program.

• Mentee Recruitment– Program recruits youth whose needs best match the services

offered by the program and helps them understand what mentoring is and what they can expect from a mentoring relationship.

Enhancements:• Mentor Recruitment

– Program has a written statement outlining eligibility requirements for mentors in its program.

• Mentee Recruitment– Program has a written statement outlining eligibility requirements for mentees in its program.

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ScreeningStandard: Screen prospective mentors to determine whether they have

the time, commitment and personal qualities to be an effective mentor.Benchmarks:• Mentor Screening

– Mentor completes an application.– Mentor agrees to a one (calendar or school) year minimum

commitment for the mentoring relationship.– Mentor agrees to participate in face-to-face meetings with his or

her mentee that average one time per week and one hour per meeting over the course of a calendar or school year.Note: This benchmark may be addressed differently as long as there is evidence to support that the variation is associated with positive outcomes for mentees. As a general rule, programs should aim to either meet this benchmark or provide a rationale for doing otherwise. (e.g., combining in-person meetings with online communication or calls; meeting almost exclusively online; meeting less than once a week, for longer meetings).

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Screening (continued)Benchmarks:• Mentor Screening (continued)

– Program conducts at least one face-to-face interview with mentor.

– Program conducts a reference check (personal and/or professional) on mentor.

– Program conducts a comprehensive criminal background check on adult mentor, including searching a national criminal records database along with sex offender and child abuse registries.

• Mentee Screening – Parent(s)/guardian(s) complete an application and provide

informed consent for their child to participate.– Parent(s)/guardian(s) and mentee agree to a one (calendar or

school) year minimum commitment for the mentoring relationship.

– Parents(s)/guardian(s) and mentee agree that the mentee will participate in face-to-face meetings with his or her mentor a minimum of one time per week, on average, for a minimum of one hour per meeting, on average.

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Screening (continued)

Enhancements:• Program utilizes national, fingerprint-based FBI criminal background

checks (e.g., the SafetyNET system operating under the auspices of the Child Protection Improvements Act, in cooperation with the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children).

• School-based programs assess mentor’s interest in maintaining contact with mentee during the summer months following the close of the school year and offer assistance with maintaining contact.

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TrainingStandard: Train prospective mentors in the basic knowledge and skills

needed to build an effective mentoring relationship.Benchmarks:• Mentor Training

– Program provides a minimum of two hours of pre-match, in-person training.

– Mentor training includes the following topics, at a minimum:a. Program rulesb. Mentors’ goals and expectations for the mentor/mentee relationshipc. Mentors’ obligations and appropriate rolesd. Relationship development and maintenancee. Ethical issues that may arise related to the mentoring relationshipf. Effective closure of the mentoring relationshipg. Sources of assistance available to support mentors.

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Training (continued)

Enhancements (Mentor Training):• Program uses evidence-based training materials.• Program provides additional pre-match training opportunities

beyond the two-hour, in-person minimum.• Program addresses the following developmental topics in the

training:a. Youth development process;b. Cultural, gender and economic issues; andc. Opportunities and challenges associated with mentoring specific populations of children (e.g., children of prisoners, youth involved in the juvenile justice system, youth in foster care, high school dropouts), if relevant.

• Program uses training to continue to screen mentors for suitability and develops techniques for early trouble-shooting should problems be identified.

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Training (continued)

Enhancements (Mentee Training):• Program provides training for the mentee and his or her

parent(s)/guardian(s) (when appropriate) on the following topics:a. Program guidelinesb. Mentors’ obligations and appropriate rolesc. Mentees’ obligations and appropriate rolesd. Parental/guardian involvement guidelines

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MatchingStandard: Match mentors and mentees along dimensions likely to

increase the odds that mentoring relationships will endure.

Benchmarks:• Program considers its aims, as well as the characteristics of the

mentor and mentee (e.g., interests, proximity, availability, age, gender, race, ethnicity, personality and expressed preferences of mentor and mentee) when making matches.

• Program arranges and documents an initial meeting between the mentor and mentee.

Enhancements:• Program staff member should be on site and/or present during the

initial meeting of the mentor and mentee.

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Monitoring and Support

Standard: Monitor mentoring relationship milestones and support mentors with ongoing advice, problem-solving support and training opportunities for the duration of the relationship.

Benchmarks:• Program contacts the mentor and mentee at a minimum frequency of

twice per month for the first month of the match and monthly thereafter.• Program documents information about each mentor-mentee contact,

including, at minimum, date, length and nature of contact.• Program provides mentors with access to at least two types of

resources (e.g., expert advice from program staff or others; publications; Web-based resources; experienced mentors; available social service referrals) to help mentors negotiate challenges in the mentoring relationships as they arise.

• Program follows evidenced-based protocol to elicit more in-depth assessment from the mentor and mentee about the relationship and uses scientifically-tested relationship assessment tools.

• Program provides one or more opportunities per year for post-match mentor training.

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Monitoring and Support (continued)

Enhancements:• Program has quarterly contact with a key person in the mentee’s life

(e.g., parent, guardian or teacher) for the duration of the match.• Program hosts one or more group activities for mentors and their

mentees, and/or offers information about activities that mentors and mentees might wish to participate in together.

• Program thanks mentors and recognizes their contributions at some point during each year of the relationship, prior to match closure.

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ClosureStandard: Facilitate bringing the match to closure in a way that affirms

the contributions of both the mentor and the mentee and offers both individuals the opportunity to assess the experience.

Benchmarks:• Program has procedure to manage anticipated closures, including a

system for a mentor or mentee rematch.• Program has procedure to manage unanticipated match closures,

including a system for a mentor or mentee rematch.• Program conducts and documents an exit interview with mentor and

mentee.Enhancements:• Program explores opportunity to continue the mentor/mentee match for

a second (or subsequent) year.• Program has a written statement outlining terms of match closure and

policies for mentor/mentee contact after a match ends.• Program hosts a final celebration meeting or event with the

mentor and mentee to mark progress and transition.

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ACTION Dialogue

• Questions for Kristi Zappie-Ferradino?

• How will you use these ideas in your mentoring practice?

• How do you decide what “best practice” means for your program?

• Next steps you can take…

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Critical Steps for EmergingMentoring Programs• If you are considering initiating a

mentoring effort…– conduct an evaluation of youth needs and

research how those needs might be best met– inventory the tangible and intangible assets

your community already has in place to meet these needs, including potential partners

– assess your ability to create and sustain an initiative that follows best practices

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Critical Steps for EstablishedMentoring Programs• If you already have a mentoring

program in place…– review your program practices against the

new benchmarks and enhancements– use the guidelines as a way to determine how

your program is promoting quality mentoring and where you can fine-tune your processes

– consider how to integrate ongoing evaluation of program practices into operations

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Share RESOURCES

• MPM Training http://www.mpmn.org/Training.aspx

• Web sites & PDFs www.delicious.com/traininginstitute

• This presentation & others www.slideshare.net/traininginstitute

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MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership

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

• The source for Elements of Effective Practice materials – the 3rd Edition and the Toolkit – as well as current research on mentoring (Research in Action briefs and the Research Corner)

• Visit www.mentoring.org to learn more

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The mission of the Mentoring Partnership of Minnesota is to lead our state in building and sustaining quality mentoring for every child.

Technical Support for mentoring programs through:– Training Institute

– Assessment and technical assistance for new and established mentoring initiatives

– Coaching and consultation for program staff– Training for mentors and mentees

– Q-MAP - program quality assessment tool– MPM E-newsletter - new developments/resources– Annual Conference - professional development– Mpmn.org website - resources/recruitment

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THANK YOU!• Next webinar is Wednesday, January 6, 2010, from 12 -

1pm CST, and kicks off Quality in Action.

• It will provide an overview of MPM's new QMAP (Quality Mentoring Assessment Path) tool, designed to help youth mentoring programs improve quality by evaluating program practices and processes . The tool is based on the latest version of the Elements of Effective Practice standards, and current research on evidence-based practice in the field of mentoring, as well as insight from mentoring program practitioners around our state.