Natural Mentoring

These articles pertain to relationships that are forged with caring nonparent adults (e.g., extended families, teachers, coaches, clergy, etc.) as opposed to those that are matched through programs.

New Study Finds Cousin Relationships Are a Hidden Source of Support for Young Adults

Hessel, H., & Christiansen, R. J. (2025). Close but not too…

Dissertation Reveals What Natural Mentors Really Bring to Addiction Recovery

Macias, E. M. (2026). The significance of implementing empathy…

Support Alone May Not Be Sufficient: Study Finds Natural Mentoring Falls Short for Youth Facing Abuse

Simpson, S. B., Dow, B. R., McQuillin, S. D., &…

A Concerning New Study on Young People and AI

By Jean Rhodes A young person is struggling. They could text…

Call for Proposals: Coach-Mentor Training Evaluation

The U.S. Soccer Foundation is seeking proposals from qualified…

Beyond the 5%: Why Student Engagement Determines Whether Tutoring Works

Main Takeaways The “5% problem” in this article describes…

Mentoring for Racial Justice: A New Blueprint for Positive Youth Development

Hurd, N. M. (2024). Promoting positive development among racially…

Combating Sexism Through Mentorship in High School Sports

Vaggalis, K., & Kelley, M. (2018). Strong mentors can help…

New Evidence Spotlights Benefits and Barriers of Youth-Initiated Mentoring

Duffy, L., & Brady, B. (2025). A rapid review of current…
Woman school psychologist, teacher, social worker, mentor working with a teenage girl in the library, office with books.

Bridging Policy Gaps Through Human Connection

Viramontes Le, D. (2019). Falling through the cracks: Homeless…