Who Gets a Mentor? How Context Shapes Youth Mentorship Access

Gowdy, G., Palmer, M. T., Saastamoinen, M., & Rivera, M. (2024). Using a social work perspective to understand contextual factors impacting access to informal mentorship for under-resourced and minoritized youth. Child and Adolescent Social Work Journal, 41(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10560-022-00838-4

Introduction

Informal mentorships that youth have with with non-parental adults consistently predicts improved health, academic, and social outcomes for youth. However, disparities in access persist. Gowdy and colleagues (2024) examined how family dynamics, economic stress, community resources, and trauma shape access to informal mentors for youth. Through using a social work lens and Critical Race Theory, the authors highlight how both personal and structural factors determine who receives this vital support.

Methods

Using data from the 2018–2019 National Survey of Children’s Health (N = 32,883), the authors employed logistic regression models to assess predictors of mentorship. Analyses included demographic controls and subgroup models by race/ethnicity to examine contextual variation.

Results

Ninety-three percent of families reported that their child had an informal mentor. However, disparities emerged: Hispanic, Black, and multiracial youth were significantly less likely than White youth to report mentors. Family resilience and open communication predicted access, while food insecurity, inadequate insurance, and unsafe or unsupportive neighborhoods reduced odds. Notably, race and ethnicity often outweighed gender in predicting mentorship, with unique patterns for Black families suggesting systemic inequities distinct from economic distress.

Discussion

Findings highlight that informal mentorship is not equitably distributed. Contextual barriers such as neighborhood safety, family resources, and structural racism limit access for marginalized youth. Critical Race Theory helps explain these inequities by foregrounding how Whiteness functions as a systemic advantage.

Implications for Mentoring Programs

Programs should “stock the pond” with mentor-rich environments (e.g., schools, community centers) and teach youth to “fish” by identifying and nurturing supportive adults. Approaches such as youth-initiated mentoring may expand equitable access and disrupt generational disadvantage.

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