New Study Pinpoints Why Parents Matter for Mentor Persistence

Werntz, A., Jasman, M., Cherry, J., Borer, A., Johnston, A., Meany, M., Stettin, J., McCarron, T., & Rhodes, J. E. (2026). Beyond the mentor–youth dyad: The role of parents and mentoring program staff in predicting volunteer mentor persistence. Mentoring & Tutoring: Partnership in Learning. Advance online publication. https://doi.org/10.1080/13611267.2026.2632131

Introduction

Werntz and colleagues (2026) examined why volunteer mentors leave community-based Big Brothers Big Sisters (BBBS) programs, shifting attention from the mentor–mentee dyad to the broader relational ecosystem. Drawing on Keller’s (2005) systemic model, the authors argue that parents and program staff play central roles in match persistence.

Methods

Participants were 120 former BBBS mentors in a northeastern U.S. city (mean match length = 22.46 months). Data came from a retrospective survey originally designed for program evaluation. Mentors completed Likert-scale measures assessing relationship quality with parents (α = .87), match advocates (α = .89), and attitudes toward the program (α = .79), along with an open-ended question about why they ended mentoring. Qualitative responses were coded using content analysis into three categories: external challenges, match-related challenges, and parent/program-related challenges. Quantitative analyses examined associations between match length and relational variables.

Results

External challenges (e.g., relocation, job changes) were most frequently cited (65%). Parent or program-related challenges were reported by 41.7%, and match-related difficulties by 23.3%. Match length was positively correlated with mentors’ perceived relationship quality with parents (r = .37, p < .001) and with positive program attitudes (r = .26, p < .01). Relationship quality with match advocates was not significantly associated with duration (r = .16, p = .091). In regression analyses, only the mentor–parent relationship uniquely predicted match length (β = .32, p < .001).

Discussion

Although uncontrollable life events frequently precipitated closure, relational dynamics, particularly with parents, distinguished longer from shorter matches. These findings lend empirical support to systemic mentoring theory (Keller, 2005), suggesting that alignment and collaboration with caregivers may anchor volunteer persistence more than program affiliation alone.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

Programs should invest in structured mentor training focused on caregiver communication, expectation alignment, and collaborative goal-setting. Match advocates may serve as relational bridges, particularly when misunderstandings arise. Supporting healthy, planned terminations is also essential, given evidence that abrupt closures may undermine youth outcomes (Grossman & Rhodes, 2002).

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