Posts

New research shows the link between mentoring, racial discrimination and coping efficacy

Notes of Interest: This new study is the first to examine the association between discrimination and coping efficacy and to look at how mentoring is linked to this association. By doing so, this study provides insight into, for example, potentially more effective ways to intervene and increase youth’s coping efficacy. Reference: Sánchez, B., Mroczkowski, A. […]

Leaving So Soon? Researchers Investigate Why Mentoring Matches End Early

Mentoring relationship closures in Big Brothers Big Sisters community mentoring programs: Patterns and associated risk factors. DeWit, D., DuBois, D., Erdem, G., Larose, S., Lipman, E., & Spencer, R. (2016). American Journal of Community Psychology, 0, 1-13. DOI: 10.1002/ajcp.12023. Summarized by Justin Preston   Introduction While previous research has demonstrated the overall positive benefits associated with […]

A conversation with Whitney Mastin: YIM at the programmatic level

Youth Initiated Mentoring, part 2: Promise and challenges in implementing YIM at the programmatic level By Justin Preston Welcome to the second of the Chronicle’s two-part series on Youth Initiated Mentoring (YIM). In part one, we spoke with Professor Sarah Schwartz, Assistant Professor of Psychology at Suffolk University, about the Connected Scholars program. The Connected […]

Profiles in mentoring: Professor Sarah Schwartz

Six Questions with Sarah Schwartz: Youth-Initiated Mentoring and the Connected Scholars Program By Justin Preston   Mentoring programs across the country are often faced with two interconnected, stubborn issues: The shortage of available mentors for young people hoping to be matched with an adult and the high rates of mentor drop out. The former issue […]

Lindsey Weiler on the need for trying new methods to reach youth in foster care

Written by Lindsey Weiler, Ph.D., originally posted in Youth Today If you work with youth in foster care, you know that every child is unique with specific needs, strengths and opportunities. It shouldn’t be surprising, therefore, that the impact of mentoring for youth in foster care varies greatly. Most people would agree that a relationship […]

New research investigates parents’ influence on success of mentoring relationship in academics

Editor’s Note: The present study helps to further support the idea of the important role that parents play in the success of a formal mentoring relationship with regards to academic outcomes. As such, mentoring programs could potentially further boost their positive outcomes by connecting with and collaborating with parents during the mentoring process. Larose, S., […]

Mentoring outside city limits: New Rural Mentoring Toolkit produced by MANY

There is one universal truth for all youth, anywhere—and that is that any young person can benefit from a mentoring relationship. Whether your community is urban, ex-urban, suburban, or rural, the youth in your schools and neighborhoods could use a strong, positive role model. Likewise, each type of community comes with its own strengths and […]

Study of natural mentors highlights importance of relationship quality

Whitney, Hendricker & Offutt (2014). Moderating factors of natural mentoring relationships, problem behaviors, and emotional well-being. Mentoring and Tutoring: Partnership in Learning, 19(1), 83-105. Summarized by Stella Kanchewa, Ph.D. Researcher and practitioners alike have noted that quality mentoring relationships in which there is a sense of trust, mutuality and closeness have the greatest potential to […]

What is the “single greatest threat to children’s well-being:” And how can mentoring help?

by Jean Rhodes “The way a problem is defined determines not only what is done about it, but also what is not done—or what apparently need not be done.”   Caplan, N., & Nelson, S. D. (1973). On being useful: The nature and consequences of psychological research on social problems. American Psychologist, 28(3), 199-211. According to data […]

Creating birds of similar feathers: How emphasizing similarities can improve matches

Editors note: This study has important implications for mentoring and other PYD studies. The simple act of emphasizing similarities improves relationships and leads to better outcomes. This should be a routine part of describing the “why” behind matches, for both mentors and mentees.  Gehlbach, H., Brinkworth, M., King, A. M. , Hsu, L. M., McIntyre, […]