Posts

[Webinar] Successful Mentoring Program Expansion: Breaking the Mold

Date: Apr 20, 2023, 01:00 PM EST How can organizations sustain or bolster their services while simultaneously addressing the diminishing presence of staff members, mentors, and mentees due to burnout, COVID-19 concerns, and other related stressors? Join this workshop to learn more about new approaches that promote program expansions that thrive. To register for the […]

WT Grant Foundation: Reducing Educational Inequality After the COVID-19 Pandemic

By Adam Gamoran and Richard J. Murnane, reprinted from the William T. Grant Foundation When President Barack Obama declared in December 2013 that the stifling combination of growing inequality and lack of upward mobility constituted “the defining challenge of our time,” he pointed to education as a pathway to economic opportunity (Obama, 2013).1 Nevertheless, the […]

The impact of a technology-enhanced peer mentor referral system on college freshmen

Werntz, A., Jasman, M., Simeon, K., Gunasekaran, H., Yowell, C., & Rhodes, J. E. (2023). Implementation of a technology-enhanced peer mentor referral system for first-year university students. Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s41347-023-00303-8 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Although a college degree offers many benefits, evidence indicates that 30% of students drop […]

How Mentorship and Support Can Help Opportunity Youth Reach their Goals

By Abigail Ellis, Reprinted from the National Mentoring Resource Center The novel coronavirus pandemic has caused unprecedented disruption in the lives of young adults. In particular, opportunity youth—those aged 16–24 who are not in school or employed—have been disproportionately affected by the economic downturn resulting from this crisis. Without the required education or skills, this […]

Mentoring Children with Traumatic Experiences

By Dana M. Sox & Helen Min, Reprinted from Youth NEX Highlights: Research suggests there is a potential increase in child adversity exposures, or trauma, post-pandemic. In general, mentoring relationships may help because they can lead to greater self-esteem, stronger connections to school, peers, and family, lower levels of depression, and less involvement in bullying […]

Study suggests ways to strengthen post-pandemic connections

O’Regan, C., Brady, B., & Connolly, C. (2022). Building back better – Using an ecological lens to argue for strengthening mesosystemic connections for young people in a post pandemic world. Child Care in Practice.  https://doi.org/10.1080/13575279.2022.2084364 Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  It is evident that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will have long-term effects. Its disruptions […]

How the pandemic aged teen brains

By Sabrina Moreno, Reprinted from AXIOS The stress of living through the pandemic physically changed adolescents’ brains and prematurely aged them by at least three or four years, according to a Stanford University study. Why it matters: While the behavioral effects of the pandemic are well-documented, data on youths’ neurological development has been scarce. What […]

Addressing Student Mental Health: Strategies for Teachers

By Rachael Kingrey, Reprinted from the American Youth Policy Forum Youth in the United States are in the midst of a mental health crisis. Even before the pandemic, mental health challenges among young people were on the rise, with substantial increases in the rates of depressive episodes and suicidal ideation among young adults ages 12-25. […]

Building Connection: Conversation Starters for Youth in Challenging Times

Reprinted from the Search Institute We’ve all noticed that young people seem to escape into their own world. And it’s not just the screens and headphones. Let’s face it, these are challenging times for young people—and for all of us, to be fair. It’s challenging to find common ground and share a positive future for […]

What were youth development staff members’ experiences during COVID-19?

Woodberry-Shaw, D., Akiva, T., & Lewis, S. S. (2022). Youth development staff experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic: A mixed methods study. Child & Youth Care Forum.  https://doi.org/10.1007/s10566-022-09711-y Summarized by Ariel Ervin Notes of Interest:  Youth development staff play a key role in providing support for young people. This study examined the experiences of youth development […]