Entries by Jean Rhodes

New Research Suggests a Smarter Approach to Goal Setting

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By Jean Rhodes Recent research has highlighted the benefits of goal-focused mentoring. Although efforts to develop strong mentor-youth relationships are certainly necessary, it appears equally important, in most cases, to center the relationship around goals. Research suggests that, relative to friendship approaches, targeted approaches can be twice as effective. These findings have led many mentoring […]

New study examines career mentoring for youth in juvenile justice system

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Varghese, F. P., Bihm, E. M., Gibbons, C., Bull, C., Whitmire, J., Nolan, J., & Flores, L. T. (2024). Pilot study of career mentoring program for juveniles. Psychological Services, 21(1), 175-183. Gainful employment begins with positive career development during adolescence, yet paradoxically, justice-involved youth who most need career guidance typically receive the least access to […]

Can Platforms like Facebook Build Social Capital?: A Systematic Review

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Ahmad, Z., Soroya, S. H., & Mahmood, K. (2023). Bridging social capital through the use of social networking sites: A systematic literature review. Journal of Human Behavior in the Social Environment, 33(4), 473-489 Social networking sites (SNSs) have revolutionized how people develop and maintain social connections across diverse backgrounds. A comprehensive systematic review examines how […]

The Case for Trauma-Informed Mentoring

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Summary of new chapter: Hagler, M., & Rhodes, J. (2024) Trauma-informed mentoring and related approaches.  In Boxer,(Ed). The Future of Youth Violence Prevention: A Mixtape for Practice, Policy, and Research. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Youth referred to mentoring programs often come from backgrounds marked by adversity. A national survey found that 69% of […]

A momentous week and 10 nuggets

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By Jean Rhodes During moments of transition, parents and mentors sometimes feel compelled to impart hard earned advice and wisdom. In Hamlet, Polonius advises his departing son to value genuine friendships and to “grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel.” And, most famously, “This above all: to thine own self be true,” suggesting […]

“Brokering” is One of The Most Valuable Things You Can Do In 2025

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Brokering is particularly important for more marginalized youth, who face barriers to building networks. They often have limited access to professional mentors and networks, unfamiliarity with workplace norms, and fewer networking opportunities. There’s also the problem of connection hoarding. Research has shown the ways that affluent parents’ strategically reserve their social connections to help their own children gain college admissions, secure internships, provide insider knowledge for career advancement, and ensure a smooth transition into the workforce.

The five most popular Chronicle posts of 2024

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by Jean Rhodes This past year has been marked by climate disasters, painful geopolitical events, growing mental health struggles among teens, leaps in AI technology and more. The Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring has covered these topics through the lens of mentoring and has continued to provide opinions, profiles, and summaries of peer-reviewed research. We want […]

The urgent message coming from boys and young men

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By Jean Rhodes On Thursday at noon, the Center for Evidence-Based Mentoring and MentorPRO will be hosting a webinar with Niobe Way, Professor of Applied Psychology at New York University. She is also the former President of the Society for Research on Adolescence and the author of the new book Rebels With a Cause: Reimagining […]

Do “credible messengers” make better mentors?

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By Jean Rhodes In his comprehensive new National Mentoring Resource Center review of credible messenger and lived experience mentoring (LEM) programs, David DuBois explores an under-researched topic in youth development and criminal justice reform. The report evaluates mentoring models in which mentors share meaningful life experiences with at-risk youth, such as previous criminal legal system […]