Entries by Justin Preston

2018 National Mentoring Summit Registration Now Open!

Registration for the eighth annual National Mentoring Summit is now open! Register Now   The National Mentoring Summit is the only national convening of youth mentoring professionals, researchers, MENTOR Affiliates, philanthropic investors, and government and civic leaders aimed at collectively strengthening and expanding quality mentoring relationships for young people across the country. Register Now for […]

Engagement and mentor support in youth development programs as an avenue to foster adolescent social development

Chapman, C. M., Deane, K. L., Harré, N., Courtney, M. G., & Moore, J. (2017). Engagement and mentor support as drivers of social development in the Project K Youth Development Program. Journal of youth and adolescence, 46(3), 644-655. Summarized by Kirsten Christensen   Introduction Given that we are inherently social creatures, adolescence is a particularly critical time […]

What keeps a mentor engaged? New research sheds some light.

Larsson, M., Pettersson, C., Eriksson, C., & Skoog, T. (2016). Initial motives and organizational context enabling female mentors’ engagement in formal mentoring–A qualitative study from the mentors’ perspective. Children and Youth Services Review, 71, 17-26. Summarized by Kirsten Christensen   Introduction Youth have a strong need to develop close relationships with those around them to succeed developmentally. […]

Six factors that promote intellectual engagement and foster your mentee’s potential

Written by Justin Preston In a recent article published in Human Development, researchers outlined a series of six factors of intellectual engagement that they argue, when present across all stages of life, can help to maintain and even spur cognitive growth. Cognitive growth, or the continuing development of cognitive faculties such as creativity and skill […]

Easy steps to make your voice heard: Contact your Congressmember during the August Recess

Written by Abbie Evans and Adriane Alicea, MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership This August, Congress will recess and Members will return to their home districts for a constituent work period. During this time, they will meet with organizations, visit local community businesses and non-profits and conduct town halls to stay connected with their district. Fortunately, […]

Youths’ belief in upward mobility challenged: New research and what mentors and programs can do

Posted by Hilary Hurd Anyaso, Futurity.org New research suggests high school and college students from low socioeconomic status (SES) backgrounds have less drive to overcome academic hardships when they harbor doubts about the odds of people with similar backgrounds achieving upward economic mobility. Three new studies extend previous research demonstrating that low-SES students who see […]