Practice

Schrauth and Shapiro: Virtual Mentoring Was Invaluable During the Pandemic. Keeping It Going Can Close the Gap for the 1 in 3 Students Who Need a Mentor’s Help

By Kate Schrauth & David Shapiro, Reprinted from The 24 Early on, it seemed mentoring could be another casualty of the pandemic, the developmental relationships so many young people depended on for guidance and stability dissipating right when they were needed most. The COVID-19 crisis not only had the potential to disrupt learning, it threatened […]

Here’s What Meaningful Youth Engagement Looks Like

By Christabel Netondo, Reprinted from the International Youth Foundation As a young woman born and raised in Kenya, I’ve had the privilege of engaging in positive youth development (PYD) programming on two levels: as a participant, and also in more active leadership and collaborator roles. My involvement in these programs has provided me with exposure […]

Oh, to Be Mentored by Virgil Abloh

The designer made it his mission to foster the talents of young creators. By Anna P. Kambhampaty, Reprinted from The New York Times In the fashion world, few people were more committed to mentoring the next generation of creative talent than Virgil Abloh. As an untrained designer, he sought to level the playing field because […]

15 Strategies and Tips to Guide Youth in the Months Ahead

By Robin Cox, Reprinted from Mentoring Matters Recently I shared research on the impact of the pandemic and lockdowns on youth with some local mentors. While the impact will vary from country to country, there were some common themes which I will share in this blog, ending with some strategies and tips anyone guiding youth […]

Helping Young People After Natural Disasters: There’s a Tool Kit (or Two) for That

Reprinted from the Annie E. Casey Foundation How can child-serving systems react to natural disasters in meaningful and effective ways? What actions can child welfare and juvenile justice practitioners take to help young people heal? The Annie E. Casey Foundation’s Disaster Relief and Response Team has contemplated these very questions over the years. In 2019, this […]

College mentors are helpful: But too many students aren’t finding them

Having a professor, adviser or other mentor can greatly help in navigating college and launching a career, but many students aren’t seeking out such relationships. By Melissa Ezarik, Reprinted from Inside Higher Ed In a recent check-in with a University of Kentucky doctoral student, associate professor Melinda Ickes detected an all-too-common issue: overinvolvement. “She was […]

When relationships come first in schools, success follows

By Jean Eddy and David Shapiro, Reprinted from Youth Today After more than a year of disrupted school for most of the country, we know that meaningful relationships are a powerful part of our young people’s lives. Based on our work and research, we also know they play a key role in helping kids explore […]

Considerations for Mentoring Indigenous Children and Youth

By Alberta Mentoring Partnership, Reprinted from the National Mentoring Resource Center Description of Resource: This guide contains 10 considerations for the design and delivery of quality mentoring programs for and with children, youth and families of Indigenous descent, including creating inclusive advisory groups, tips for recruitment and retention and screening of indigenous and non-indigenous mentors, […]

“Off to a good start:” How digital therapeutics could change mental health care (and mentoring)

The field of “digital therapeutics,” software designed for diagnosing and treating mental health disorders, is coming into its own By Kirsten Weir, Reprinted from the American Psychological Association Society’s reliance on technology has reached unprecedented heights during the COVID-19 pandemic. People have had to rely on their computers and smartphones to complete routine errands, to […]