Understanding Quality, Qualitatively: New Study in Zambia Explores Benefits and Challenges Mentoring Emerging Adults

Mulenga-Wincierz, M. (2024). A grounded theory of experiencing and perceiving youth mentoring as a process of “mixed emotions.” New Trends in Qualitative Research, 20(4).

Introduction

Youth mentoring has been lauded as a powerful intervention for supporting the psychological and emotional development of vulnerable youth. However, much of the existing research on youth mentoring remains concentrated in the Global North, leaving significant gaps in our understanding of how mentoring operates in other cultural and socioeconomic contexts. This study, conducted in Zambia, provides a rare exploration of youth mentoring relationships (YMRs) in a country where over 60% of the population lives in poverty. Youth in Zambia face numerous challenges, including high rates of orphanhood due to HIV/AIDS, substance abuse, and limited educational opportunities. Mentoring in such a context is not just a means of fostering resilience but a tool for survival.

Using a constructivist grounded theory approach, the study aimed to explore and develop a substantive theory on how mentors and mentees in Zambia experience and perceive YMRs. Specifically, it focuses on understanding these relationships as a process characterized by “mixed emotions,” reflecting both positive and negative mentoring experiences (PMEs and NMEs).

Methodology

Nine participants, comprising five mentors (aged 31 to 68) and four mentees (aged 18 to 20), were recruited using purposive and theoretical sampling. Relationships lasted at least one year, and participants resided in urban areas such as Lusaka and the Copperbelt. Semi-structured interviews formed the primary data collection method, with a focus on eliciting narrative accounts of participants’ experiences.

The data were analyzed using the constant comparative method, beginning with initial coding and culminating in theoretical coding to develop interconnected categories. Analytical memos documented emerging insights, and the iterative process ensured that findings remained rooted in participants’ lived realities.

Results

The study revealed that mentors and mentees experienced their relationships as a mix of positive and negative emotions.

Mentees reported that mentors provided critical emotional and psychological support, helping them navigate traumatic and challenging life circumstances. For instance, one mentee, facing abandonment and homelessness, credited his mentor for helping him cope and find purpose. Similarly, another mentee, the head of a child-headed household, described her mentor’s guidance as life-saving, enabling her to balance familial responsibilities and education.

However, mentees also faced NMEs, such as inconsistent availability and misunderstandings with mentors. One participant lamented the lack of regular contact with his mentor, which fostered feelings of abandonment and frustration.

Mentors, on the other hand, expressed that their roles brought personal growth, increased self-awareness, and professional benefits. However, they often felt overwhelmed by the magnitude of their mentees’ struggles. Limited resources and unsupportive environments added to their challenges, leaving mentors feeling helpless and unrecognized.

Discussion

The findings underscore the dual nature of YMRs in Zambia, characterized by both transformative benefits and significant challenges. While mentors and mentees found their relationships valuable, the pervasive socioeconomic hardships amplified the emotional toll of mentoring. Mentors often acted as lifelines for mentees, but their efforts were constrained by systemic issues, including a lack of institutional recognition and resources for mentoring.

The study highlights the need for structural support to maximize the potential of mentoring in low-resource settings. It calls for government and community investment in training, recognition, and resource allocation for mentoring initiatives.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

This study holds important implications for the design and implementation of mentoring programs, particularly in contexts with similar socioeconomic challenges. First, mentoring initiatives must integrate comprehensive training for mentors, equipping them with strategies to manage mentees’ emotional and material needs. Second, systemic recognition of mentors is crucial to sustain their motivation and morale. Governments and non-governmental organizations should establish funding mechanisms to support mentors and mentees alike.

Third, the creation of formalized mentoring structures can bridge the gap between mentors’ intentions and their practical limitations. Programs that offer stipends, access to professional counseling, and educational opportunities for mentees can alleviate the strain on mentors and enhance the overall efficacy of mentoring relationships.

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