By Jean Rhodes “If you have ever been to an award ceremony, then you know the drill” observes psychologist Abdo Elnakouri and his colleagues, “Awardees dutifully list off those who helped them along the way: mentors, family, friends, and perhaps a surprisingly crucial acquaintance or two. Without them, the crowd is told, success would not […]
By Jean Rhodes Decades of research have shown that, with the right training and support, mentors and other paraprofessionals can deliver mental health interventions in ways that benefit youth. Doing so could help to bridge the substantial gaps in care. Indeed, less than a third of children and adolescents who need mental health and related […]
By Jean Rhodes “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.” – Mahatma Gandhi Helper Therapy Principle If you’re in the field of mentoring, you should probably know about the helper-therapy principle. It was first articulated by Frank Riessman in 1965, and helped shape the field of psychology’s […]
There is little success where there is little laughter. ~Andrew Carnegie by Jean Rhodes It’s August, so let’s focus on a sunny topic——laughter. A growing number of studies, including one highlighted in the Chronicle— show that, when people share a laugh and have fun together, they end up feeling closer and being more open with […]
By Jean Rhodes A growing number of innovative mentoring programs have emerged in recent years that involve both “teaching youth to fish” for mentors (i.e., to recruit natural mentors) and “stocking the pond” (i.e., expanding the availability of high-social capital adults in marginalized youth’s lives). For years, the National Guard Youth Challenge Program, an intensive […]
By Jean Rhodes “Older and wiser: New ideas for mentoring in the 21st Century ” was released as an audiobook this week. To mark this occasion, and the 4th of July, here’s an excerpt about a generous young man who happened to glance out his window and see a boy in need: On the morning […]
by Jean Rhodes A range of cognitive biases have shaped our expectations and practices in formal mentoring programs and hindered progress in the field. Key Points: Conflation of Expectations: Informal and formal mentoring relationships are often conflated, leading to unrealistic expectations. Admittedly, for many years I support for this conflation based on attachment theory and […]
Jean Rhodes Building strong, enduring mentoring relationships depends on many factors, including empathy, proximity, and shared interest. But here are two research-based tips that might be helpful to mentors. Reciprocal self-disclosure A new study from the University of Michigan highlights the value of reciprocal self-disclosure in building connections with others. The researchers conducted several studies, […]
By Jean Rhodes In recent years, my colleagues and I have been exploring how web and mobile platforms can enhance mentoring programs—–not replacing face-to-face connections, but enabling efficient between meeting communication and collaboration. Such platforms also allow mentors and programs to share resources, deliver personalized feedback, and track mentees’ progress. They are also extremely well […]
By Jean Rhodes In a recent review, Hart, McQuillin, et al. (2023) explored how teaching motivational interviewing to school-based paraprofessionals can help bridge gaps in mental health services. This has direct relevance for mentoring programs and is becoming an increasingly popular strategy. But what exactly is motivational interviewing? What is motivational interviewing? We all know […]
MentorPROFebruary 21, 2023 - MentorPRO is a leading digital tool platform to support educators to build developmental relationships with their students in easy and fun ways.
AlongMarch 30, 2022 - In support of our continued conversation on how to support today’s youth, this issue of the Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring is proudly sponsored by Along, a free digital tool designed to support educators to build developmental relationships with their students in easy and fun ways.
MENTOR: The National Mentoring PartnershipNovember 12, 2014 - MENTOR: The National Mentoring Partnership (MENTOR) is the unifying champion for expanding quality youth mentoring relationships in the United States. For nearly 25 years, MENTOR has served the mentoring field by providing a public voice, developing and delivering resources to mentoring programs nationwide and promoting quality for mentoring through standards, cutting-edge research and state of the art tools.
Academic Web PagesAugust 6, 2012 - Academic Web Pages is the leading provider of customized websites for researchers, centers, nonprofits, and universities. AWP designed and has contributed generously to the creation of the Chronicle of Evidence-Based Mentoring.
